German Court Rejects Peruvian Farmer's Climate Change Lawsuit
A German court dismissed a lawsuit by Peruvian farmer Saul Luciano Lliuya against RWE for climate change-related damages. The court deemed the risk estimate too small to warrant further action. The case highlighted global inequalities in climate impact, though it failed to set a legal precedent.
A German court on Wednesday dismissed a lawsuit filed by Peruvian farmer Saul Luciano Lliuya against the German utility RWE. Lliuya alleged that RWE's carbon emissions contributed to climate change, which endangered his home in Peru by accelerating glacier melt and increasing flood risks.
Presiding over the case, Judge Rolf Meyer concluded that the damage-risk estimate—a mere 1% over 30 years—was insufficient to merit further proceedings. He emphasized that while the lawsuit was lucidly argued, the figures presented did not meet the threshold for legal action in environmental damage cases.
Despite the setback, the case, described as a reflection of global disparities between developed and developing nations, is expected to inspire similar actions. Environmental advocacy group Germanwatch remains supportive, as does Lliuya, who aims to hold major polluters accountable for their contribution to climate change.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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