Displaying items by tag: precedent

A German court has dismissed a lawsuit by Peruvian farmer Saul Luciano Lliuya against energy giant RWE, rejecting his claim for damages over flood risks in his hometown linked to climate change. Lliuya argued that RWE’s historic carbon emissions contributed to the melting of Andean glaciers threatening his town of Huaraz. Though the court found no immediate threat to his property, it acknowledged that major emitters may bear proportional costs for preventative climate measures. This ruling, while unfavourable to Lliuya, is seen as a landmark in climate litigation, particularly as it came from a plaintiff in the global south against a global north corporation. The court also said that RWE should have foreseen the effects of its emissions. Although RWE argues that climate change cannot be blamed on a single emitter, legal observers view the case as a potential turning point for holding polluters accountable globally.