The environmental association “KlimaSeniorinnen” (Senior Women for Climate Protection) has been waging a legal battle against the Swiss government since 2016. The goal is to enforce the Paris Agreement and reduce greenhouse gas emissions to protect the human rights of the population.
The group is composed of over 2,000 women over the age of 64 who support that climate change has negative consequences on the physical and mental health of elderly people. According to them, extreme temperatures expose elderly women to a higher risk of illness and mortality than the overall population.
The association has chosen this form of association for jurisprudence, as only groups particularly affected by a certain phenomenon can bring a case. Based on well-documented evidence, Senior Women for Climate Protection has deemed the Swiss plan to address climate change entirely insufficient and not in compliance with the Paris Agreement.
The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg has decided to submit the issue with the “utmost possible consideration” to the Grand Chamber, which addressed it on March 29th of this year. However, only after the Court has discussed the matter privately will its decisions on the issue be announced.
Regardless of the outcome, this legal action is a great example for all countries, representing how climate change is a fundamental problem not only for the new generations but for all people. The association “Senior Women for Climate Protection” has shown that the fight against climate change has no age limit, and that elderly people can play a fundamental role in promoting a more sustainable and just future for everyone.
Thanks to their determination and commitment, the elderly women of the association have inspired many other people, demonstrating that hope and change can also come from the more mature generations. The battle of “Senior Women for Climate Protection” teaches us that we must act now to protect our planet because every action, big or small, can make a difference.
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