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Climate change is a human rights issue

In April, the who alleged that the Swiss government's failure to meet climate change mitigation targets is having an adverse impact on their health, well-being and quality of life.

This landmark decision by the highest human rights court in Europe confirms not only that climate change is intimately linked to human rights, but effectively holds all European governments accountable to adopt more rigorous measures to combat climate change.

Clear obligations

It is well documented that have contributed to , .

Unpredictable weather patterns and swings in temperature and .

Simply put, climate change poses clear threats to human life by exacerbating

The is a global commitment to stabilize greenhouse gas emissions so as to stem dangerous anthropogenic effects on the world's climate.

The through progressively . However, as countries are still not doing enough to cut carbon emissions.

According to the independent , the vast majority of countries are insufficiently living up to their global commitments.

Global inaction has scientists around the world feeling as governments fail to act despite clear scientific evidence that climate change will have catastrophic consequences.

The Climate Action Tracker has rated Canada's efforts as citing its , lackluster climate target and ineffective policies and climate finance.

Taking legal action

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has long underlined that , including the right to life, food, health, housing, culture and development. In particular, marginalized populations—including children, girls and women, migrants, people with disabilities and Indigenous peoples—are .

In the face of government inaction on climate change, there has been .

In the landmark , the Supreme Court of the Netherlands affirmed there is an obligation to take more effective action to prevent dangerous climate change to , including those not yet born.

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A case in Canada alleged that climate inaction will expose them and future generations to physical and psychological harm in violation of several sections of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. While the case eventually failed, it also set an important example.

At the international level, to clarify obligations under the frame of international human rights law with regard to the climate crisis. Meanwhile, several island states () have requested both the and the to elaborate on the obligations of States to ensure the protection of the climate system for present and future generations.

While these actions may seem small in the face of the crisis, they all present enormous opportunities to correct inaction and set new global precedent.

Continuing challenges

Climate change is one of the defining challenges of our time.

If unaddressed, climate change will cause untold ecological disaster and human suffering—and even . The consequences of warmer oceans and uncontrolled gaseous emissions transcend borders, ethnicities and political divides to affect all.

The recent European decision is one of . Though , such cases underline the powerful role that individuals, young and old alike, can play to hold decision-makers to account and prompt greater action on climate change.

Governments must be reminded that they shoulder the twin responsibilities to both fulfill environmental commitments and to . In light of the pressing climate crisis and countdown to 2030, concrete action and change cannot come soon enough.