A group of activists is fighting for the right to scrutinize Russia’s climate policies, particularly its substantial methane emissions, in court. Russia’s constitutional court is considering a claim brought by 18 individuals and the NGO Ecodefense. They argue that the Russian state’s insufficient action to reduce national greenhouse gas emissions violates their rights to life, health, and a healthy environment.
Another organization that planned to join the case, Moscow Helsinki, was shut down last year by a different Russian court. It was the country’s oldest human rights group.
The claimants initially asked Russia’s supreme court to examine the national climate policy, but it refused. They then brought a new claim to the constitutional court, which was responsible for upholding the country’s constitution. While the court has decided on some environmental cases in the past, including state liability for the Chornobyl nuclear disaster, it has not yet addressed climate breakdown. Read More
News Credit: The Guardian
Picture Credit: Sergei Karpukhin/Reuters