A team of researchers from the University of Antwerp has joined a case filed by Portuguese youth in the European Court of Human Rights.
Startups accuse 33 European countries of violating human rights by taking too little action against the greenhouse gas problem.
Six Portuguese youths were summoned from all the EU countries, Norway, Russia, Turkey, the United Kingdom and Ukraine. They accuse 33 countries of violating their human rights because countries are doing too little to solve the greenhouse gas problem.
Several European human rights organizations and private educators have joined the case through ‘third party intervention’. The Law and Development Research Group is affiliated with the Faculty of Law of the University of Antwerp.
Important case
“The significance of this case cannot be underestimated,” says Dr. Com Erdem Turkelli of the University of Antwerp. ‘Because of our action, we want to convince the court that court law does not limit national boundaries, especially insisting that children deserve better protection in terms of looking to the future. European nations need to set ambitious goals for themselves to mitigate the negative effects of climate change on future generations. ‘
In a detailed letter, the founders claim, among other things, that under international law, countries do not harm the rights of non-residents. “And those affected by climate change should have the opportunity to legally take into account governments other than their own,” says Professor Water Vantenhall.
That is why, according to the panel, the European government is allowed to address the failed policy of national governments if it causes climate problems such as drought, heat waves or wildfires. “If that turns out to be impossible, it would be contrary to the European Convention on Human Rights,” concludes Erdem Turkelli. “It would be a good thing if the court looked at the climate obligations of countries together, not country-wise.”
The initiators accused 33 European countries of violating human rights by not doing enough to address the greenhouse gas problem. The six Portuguese youths have been prosecuted in all EU countries, including Norway, Russia, Turkey, the United Kingdom and Ukraine. They accuse 33 countries of violating their human rights because countries are doing too little to solve the greenhouse gas problem. Several European human rights organizations and private educators have joined the case through ‘third party intervention’. The Law and Development Research Group is affiliated with the Faculty of Law of the University of Antwerp. “The significance of this case cannot be underestimated,” says Dr. Com Erdem Turkelli of the University of Antwerp. ‘Because of our action, we want to convince the court that court law does not limit national boundaries, especially insisting that children deserve better protection in terms of looking to the future. European nations need to set ambitious goals for themselves to mitigate the negative effects of climate change on future generations. ‘In a detailed letter, the founders claim, among other things, that under international law, countries do not harm the rights of non-residents. “And those affected by climate change must have the opportunity to legally account for governments other than their own,” says Professor Water Vantonhole. That is why, according to the panel, the European government is allowed to address the failed policy of national governments if it causes climate problems such as drought, heat waves or wildfires. “If that turns out to be impossible, it would be contrary to the European Convention on Human Rights,” concludes Erdem Turkelli. “It would be a good thing if the court looked at the climate obligations of countries together, not country-wise.”
