Citizens to sue government over climate policy

A group of women is planning to take the Swiss government to court over its alleged failure to take the necessary measures to combat climate change. This form of citizens’ involvement is new for Switzerland but similar legal steps have been taken successfully in the Netherlands and in the United States. About 150 senior citizens claim that older women in particular suffer from the effects of climate change, including long heat waves. The group said it planned to lodge a legal complaint later this year. The women accuse Environment Minister Doris Leuthard and the government of undermining the climate goals enshrined in the Swiss constitution and of violating human rights. It is not enough to reduce CO2 emissions by 20% by 2020 compared with 1990 levels, they said. “We are convinced that climate change is an inadmissible danger for our society. Our association seeks to bring gether those particularly affected in Switzerland and to ensure a basic right to a healthy ...