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Italy Climate Lawsuit: "Last Judgment" to Rule
18 Oct
Summary
- An Italian court will rule on the nation's first climate lawsuit against the state.
- Claimants accuse Italy of violating fundamental rights by not meeting Paris agreement goals.
- A previous court dismissed the case, citing lack of civil court jurisdiction.
An Italian court is poised to issue a ruling in the nation's inaugural climate lawsuit against the state, known as "Giudizio Universale." Initiated in June 2021 by the environmental group A Sud and over 200 other associations and individuals, the case contends that Italy has infringed upon fundamental rights through insufficient action to meet the 2015 Paris Agreement's emission reduction goals.
Initially, claimants sought an order for the state to cut emissions by 92 percent below 1990 levels by 2030. However, a Rome court dismissed the case in 2024, ruling that civil courts lack jurisdiction over governmental climate policy decisions. This decision was described as unique in Europe.
An appeal has been lodged, referencing international rulings like the 2024 European Court of Human Rights decision in a Swiss case that linked climate protection with human rights. Fresh scientific evidence, including data on heat-related excess deaths and forecasts on desertification and floods, has been submitted. The Rome appeals court is expected to rule later this month.
Lawyers for the claimants hope the court will not only examine the case's merits but also compel the state to enhance its climate policies, citing the Paris Agreement and a 2022 Italian constitutional reform requiring the protection of the environment for future generations. Italy, warming at double the global average, faces increasing extreme weather events, underscoring the urgency of such legal actions.
