Jeff Berardelli is WFLA's Chief Meteorologist and Climate Specialist
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A recent overseas court win for climate advocates was arguably the biggest news in climate law in the past several years.
In the case, a group of older women filed a lawsuit at Europe’s top human rights court against the nation of Switzerland. They said the country violated their rights by not doing enough to protect them from the health impacts of climate change.
On Tuesday, April 9 the court ruled in their favor. The significance is that this is the first time an international court has ruled that a government has a legal obligation to protect citizens from climate change. This win may lead to many more lawsuits across Europe using this case as precedent.
This is just one of dozens of international lawsuits working their way through the courts, many of which are in the U.S. Some of these cases may hold pose significant consequences to governments or fossil fuel companies, and sway future energy policy.
In today's Climate Classroom, we are interviewing Michael Gerrard, the founder and faculty director of the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia Law School, who was also my climate law professor. He will update us on the status of many of the important climate lawsuits and the potential consequences.