Indebted Blue text = a clickable link. To highlight pictures please click themThis week I'm indebted for my choice of topic to a newsletter from Avaaz, an international protest group to which I belong. They drew my attention to six Portugese young people (with green halos!) who are taking a climate change violation of human rights case to the European Court of Human Rights. ReportedReuters (August 22) wrote about their case. 'It is one of the first such cases to be heard before the court, where citizens say inaction has violated their human rights. It could result in orders for governments to cut carbon dioxide emissions faster than currently planned. Reuters also quoted one of the six young people: '"We just want them (governments) to stick to the treaties and do what they promised they would do," said 15-year-old Andre Oliveira, one of the six applicants, pointing to the 2015 Paris Agreement on cutting emissions to limit global warming to 2 degrees Celsius and aim for 1.5C.' BackedNot only is this extraordinary case being significantly reported but it's being backed by sympathetic, concerned NGOs. One of these is Global Legal Action Network (GLAN) which defines itself as: 'a unique non-profit organisation that pursues innovative legal actions across borders, challenging states and other powerful actors involved with human rights violations.' GLAN, Avaaz and other groups are helping with crowd funding and legal assistance, but genuinely the youngsters are taking the action. They are all planning to be in court on the 27th. ExplainedAbout the Portugese youth case, GLAN says: 'After witnessing devastating forest fires and experiencing ever-worsening heatwaves, six Portuguese young people decided to act. On 3rd September 2020, they launched an unprecedented case against over 30 European countries in the European Court of Human Rights. 'Finally, following the hottest ever summer in Europe on record, their case will be heard on 27th September 2023. The hearing of their case, which will take place before 22 judges, will be unprecedented in scale. 'The case of the ‘youth-Applicants’ is simple: time is rapidly running out to safeguard their futures. European governments have a legal duty to take far more radical and urgent action to slash greenhouse gas emissions.' ClarifiedYesterday, Thursday 14 Septermber, the Guardian's Sandra Laville also picked up this Portugese youth story. She quoted Gerry Liston, a senior lawyer at GLAN, who clarified that: 'the action was being taken against the 32 nations in Europe because they all contributed to the climate crisis and action was required from them all to safeguard the future of the young people. '“These young people face a future of unbearable heat; the latest IPCC report describes these conditions as unlivable,” Liston said. “Yet these governments are trivialising their claims. We expect to hear more of the same from all of the nations in the courtroom. “But our case is really very simple – the harm that climate change is causing, and will continue to cause, to the mental and physical health of these young people and to their wellbeing, is a clear violation of their human rights.” DeniedNone of the 32 accused nations (the Member States of the Council of Europe as well as Norway, Russia, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine and the United Kingdom) have pleaded guilty to the charges. All have submitted written defences and although these have not been released we know from countries, like Portugal itself, which have spoken out, that they simply deny the causal connection between climate change (specifically global warming) and the violation of human rights. AwaitedSo now the 27th September and subsequent sitting days are awaited with excitement by those concerned about climate change reduction. If you want to send a personal message of support to Catarina, Claudia, Martim, Mariana, Sofia and Andre, just click here. If the six win their case, governments will need to quickly implement climate change prevention measures. I do hope that happens. □ John McInnes 15 September 2023 ##########
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