Ecodefense & Other NGOs v. Russia

Summary:

On September 11, 2022, activists from several climate groups in Russia filed a case before the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation demanding that the Russian government protect its citizens from the risk of future death or serious illness by keeping global emissions to 1.5-1.8c in accordance with its obligations under domestic and international law. The plaintiffs request Russian authorities to take measures that will reduce the country’s greenhouse emissions, in line with targets of limiting the global temperature rise to 1.5C agreed under the 2015 Paris Agreement. Russia is currently the fourth biggest producer of carbon emissions worldwide, and need to reduce 31% of its 1991 levels to meet the 2030 goal of the Paris Accords. The plaintiffs contends that Russia’s insufficient measures on climate change are “violating the Russian constitution and the European convention on human rights”. Russia will withdraw from the ECHR on Friday 16 September, which means the climate lawsuit could be among the last cases in the country that the ECHR could issue a binding agreement on, if it is taken to the European courts.

At Issue: Group of Russian activists file supreme court case demanding stronger action on the Russian government in meeting the goals of 2015 Paris climate accords.