Strasbourg, France- Today, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe announced that Switzerland is not complying with the ruling of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) in the landmark case of the KlimaSeniorinnen. The Committee sided with the KlimaSeniorinnen that Switzerland is not doing enough to align its policy with a maximum global warming limit of 1.5°C, in another victory for current and future generations.

Rosmarie Wydler-Wälti, Co-President of KlimaSeniorinnen Schweiz said: “The Swiss Federal Council is not getting away with its arguments at the Committee of Ministers. Switzerland must improve its climate policy to remedy the violation of our human rights. We call on the Federal Council and Parliament to take global warming seriously and to finally take decisive action against the climate crisis.”

As the first intergovernmental body to oversee a State’s compliance with a legal decision on climate change, the Committee of Minister’s decision regarding Switzerland’s failure to implement the judgment of the KlimaSeniorinnen marks an important moment for the future of climate litigation and policy: Switzerland’s response is inadequate, and the fight for justice is not over. Driven by the relentless efforts of the KlimaSeniorinnen and civil society actors, today’s decision by the Committee sends a clear message: States have a duty to protect people’s human rights with strong climate policy. Now, Switzerland must return to the drawing board and produce a real plan – one that delivers the emissions reductions and human rights protections the Court demanded. The battle to turn the landmark legal victory into lasting political change continues, with the Committee examining the case again in September 2025. 

ENDS

Notes:

The submissions to the Committee of Ministers

Swiss National Action Report

Here are more documents relating to the judgment. 

Contacts

Cordelia Bähr, Lawyer of Senior Women for Climate Protection Switzerland: [email protected], +41 78 801 70 34

Yvonne Anliker, Media Communications Manager, Greenpeace Switzerland, [email protected], +41 79 306 53 42 

Georg Klingler, Project Coordinator and Climate Campaigner Greenpeace Switzerland: [email protected], +41 79 785 07 38

Greenpeace International Press Desk, +31 (0)20 718 2470 (available 24 hours), [email protected]