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Updated August 13th, 2022 at 15:26 IST

6 Portuguese sued 32 European countries over climate policies; 2017 case to be heard soon

The six Portuguese adults argued that the climate crisis interferes with their right to life and their right to respect for their private and family lives.

Reported by: Mahima Joshi
Portugal climate crisis
Image: AP | Image:self
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Pedrogao beach which once used to be a stretch of silver white sand sandwiched between pine trees and sea, now remains an apocalyptic reminder of the carnage and violence caused due to global heating. With temperature warnings again being issued in the Leiria region – where the beach is situated in central Portugal – and several active wildfires raging in the area, six Portuguese adults have decided to sue about 32 European countries over their climate policies. 

Following the impact of rising global temperatures and the anxiety at the failure of countries to curb greenhouse gas emissions, Cláudia Agostinho, her siblings and her cousins have decided to battle with powerful European governments against their climate policies and fight for their human rights. After filing a case in 2017, following the wildfire that raged the region and killed 66 people, it is now after five years that their case against 32 European countries, arguing their climate policies are inadequate, will be heard in front of 17 judges in the autumn.

“The fact that the court has referred this case to the grand chamber is an extremely significant development which how serious a human rights issue it considers climate change to be," Gearóid Ó Cuinn, of Global Legal Action Network (Glan), the organisation supporting Agostinho and her family was quoted by the Guardian. 

Notably, Agostinho and her family's case will be heard along with the other climate litigation due before the court grand chamber in the coming months. French mayor, Damien Carême, has also reportedly taken action against his government’s failure to tackle climate breakdown, saying, his town faces a long-term threat of submersion if sea levels rise. 

The six Portuguese claimants will be represented by a team of 10 barristers from various UK-based chambers. 

Why are the Portuguese fighting?

“I was driven to fight against the government's inadequate policies regarding climate because of the anxiety I feel about what is happening, and what will happen if we don’t take any action. And now we are suffering again from the heat here, and I think to myself, ‘Do I want to bring children into this world if there is no good future for them?’ and I feel that something has to be done, the way we all live is not sustainable,” Agostinho told The Guardian, adding, "The move to a hearing at the Strasbourg court was happening as her region and the rest of the country was suffering again from extreme weather."

The six Portuguese adults are crowdfunding the legal battle. They argued that the climate crisis interferes with their right to life, their right to respect for their private and family lives and their right not to be discriminated against.

The case against 32 European countries

Agostinho and her family is bringing their case against the governments of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Croatia, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Latvia, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK and Turkey.

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Published August 13th, 2022 at 15:26 IST

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