THE political battle against climate change has, so far, largely been driven by government legislation and regulation. However, a key European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruling this month raises a new, potentially important legal precedent in the 46 member states of the Council of Europe.

Some eight years ago, the KlimaSeniorinnen or Swiss Elders for Climate Protection group – comprising 2,000 Swiss women over the age of 64 – filed legal action against their government for failing to take stronger action against climate change.

On Apr 9 this year, the ECHR in Strasbourg – unrelated to the European Union – surprised the Swiss government by upholding the lawsuit. In an approximately 300-page ruling, it said that insufficient measures against global warming infringe the human rights of the female senior citizens involved in the case.