Support families’ lawsuit against EU’s reckless climate policy

The increasing devastation brought upon by climate change is becoming ever more apparent. Across the world, erratic weather patterns, heat waves, wildfires, droughts, and floods put the lives of millions at risk and significantly damage their livelihoods- whether they are farmers in Kenya or operators of a ski resort in northern Italy. When it comes to global warming- no one is off the hook.

In an attempt to grapple with the planet’s deteriorating climate, the EU has crafted a policy in October of 2014 according to which greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) would be cut by 40 percent compared to the 1990 levels between 2020 and 2030. Recognizing that the 2014 goals were simply not ambitious enough, and would still wreak havoc across the globe,  the EU adopted a more stringent series of GHG restrictions in the 2016 Paris Agreement. Alas, despite ratifying the agreement in October 2016, the EU maintained its emissions rate at the levels stipulated in the insufficient 2014 agreement.

In a thus far unparalleled move, families from several European countries, as well as from Kenya and Fiji, have taken the EU to court for violation of their fundamental human rights. The plaintiffs, supported by scientists, NGOs, and citizens, filed their claim at the Court of Justice of the European Union, accusing the Union of hurting their right to life, health, property, occupational freedom, and culture through its incompetent climate policy.

Under the name of People’s Climate Case, the plaintiffs seek to urge the European Union to make whatever efforts necessary to adhere to its environmental commitments stipulated in the 2016 Paris Agreement.

Please consider signing their petition and express solidarity with the plaintiffs’ cause. It is time to signal to policy makers that abating global temperature rise is an urgent task that must be prioritized.