A dangerous situation (Image: Siebe Swart/Hollandse Hoogte/eyevine)
The Dutch government has lost a landmark legal case over its greenhouse gas emissions plans.
The environmental group brought a class action suit over climate change on behalf of some 900 citizens, including children. The suit claimed that the government鈥檚 action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is insufficient, and is therefore 鈥渒nowingly exposing its own citizens to dangerous situations鈥�.
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Urgenda asked that the court in the Hague 鈥渄eclare that global warming of more than 2 掳C will lead to a violation of fundamental human rights worldwide鈥�. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, governments must cut emissions to between 25 and 40 per cent below 1990 levels by 2020 to have a 50 per cent chance of avoiding 2 掳C. Yet European Union states have signed up for 40 per cent cuts by 2030.
Three judges agreed with the class action suit, ruling that government plans to cut emissions by 14-17 per cent compared to 1990 levels by 2020 were illegal. The ruling said: 鈥淭he state should not hide behind the argument that the solution to the global climate problem does not depend solely on Dutch efforts.鈥�
The court .
Marjan Minnesma, who initiated the case in 2013, made . 鈥淎ll the plaintiffs are overjoyed by the result,鈥� she said. 鈥淭his makes it crystal clear that climate change is a huge problem that needs to be dealt with much more effectively, and that states can no longer afford inaction.鈥�
Ahead of the ruling, James Arrandale of London-based environmental law firm said it would be groundbreaking for Urgenda to win. It would lead to similar suits in other countries, he said. A is already on the case.
A key point, said Arrandale, is to show that governments already have legal obligations to cut emissions, regardless of the outcome of the UN climate talks. To that end, a group of international legal experts on 30 March, which set out existing legal obligations on governments to safeguard the climate.
