'Absurd' European Climate Ruling Could Harm Democracy, Say Swiss Press

(MENAFN- Swissinfo) Newspapers in Switzerland have criticised a climate change ruling against the Swiss government by Europe's top human rights court, saying it risks undermining democracy and the political clout of environmental groups.

• Español es La prensa suiza señala que la“absurda” decisión europea sobre el clima podría dañar la democracia Read more: La prensa suiza señala que la“absurda” decisión europea sobre el clima podría dañar la democracia

Tuesday's ruling by the European Court of Human Rights in favour of over 2,000 Swiss women who said the Swiss government had not done enough to combat climate change is expected to embolden more people to bring climate cases against governments.

This content was published on Apr 9, 2024 The European Court of Human Rights has decided that Swiss authorities are responsible for not implementing efficient climate change policies and violating the right to life of a group of elderly women in Switzerland.

As environmental groups celebrated the ruling by the Strasbourg court, newspaper editorials said the decision would fan fears that the judiciary was getting involved in politics.

“Absurd verdict against Switzerland: Strasbourg pursues climate policy from the judges bench,” the Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ) wrote.

Describing the ruling as“activist jurisprudence” that could pave the way for“all kinds of claims”, the paper said the elderly plaintiffs were ultimately pawns of environmental lobbies that used the court to circumvent democratic debate.

Switzerland, where referendums regularly test the limits of national policymaking, has committed to cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030, from 1990 levels.

The government had proposed stronger measures to deliver the goal, but voters rebuffed them in a 2021 referendum.

This content was published on Jun 13, 2021 Swiss voters have rejected legislation at the heart of the country's strategy to abide by the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.

Under the headline“We don't want climate justice”, Blick called the court's ruling“questionable” and warned it was likely to deepen divisions over climate policy.

“And in European politics, it should be noted, this plays into the hands of those who smell foreign judges everywhere,” the paper wrote.

The Tages-Anzeiger meanwhile said in an editorial that while the court had highlighted the limitations of Switzerland's climate agenda, democracy would come under pressure if courts began to shape policy.

Making reference to the 2021 referendum, the paper said the ruling risked confirming widely held views that the court was meddling with national decision-making.

That in turn could come back to haunt environmentalists at the ballot box when disgruntled voters vent their frustration“against the Green parties who now want to use the verdict for their political agenda”, the paper wrote.

This content was published on Aug 3, 2021 A majority of Swiss believe it's important to avoid emissions in their everyday lives, although fewer are likely to back up their views with action.

• Landmark ruling: Switzerland's climate policy violates human rights
• Swiss CO2 law defeated at the ballot box
• Swiss think it's vital that other people reduce CO2 emissions

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