The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has condemned Switzerland for violating the European Convention on Human Rights. The verdict is a major victory for a women's association that had brought a complaint against the country for its inaction on climate change.

Fred Njehu, Pan African Political Strategist at Greenpeace Africa, said:

"This verdict is an unprecedented decision and a real ray of hope for the rest of the communities affected by climate change around the world. We have multiple lessons to learn from this judicial precedent. Thanks to the judges' right of scrutiny over climate action, they can effectively sanction a state if they feel that the measures taken are weak and inadequate. This is a step that African courts should follow."

"Climate justice is a human right. The ECHR verdict is an array of hope for the frontline communities affected by the climate emergency in Africa that anything is possible. They too can take their cases to national and even international courts to seek climate justice. We hope to have similar outcomes for women in the fishing industry in Senegal, where there is currently a lawsuit under way initiated by Taxawu Cayar against the Barna fishmeal factory", adds Fred.

Last year, a French court ordered Socfin, parent company of the Société camerounaise de palmeraies (Socapalm), to pay 140,000 euros in damages to 145 Cameroonian planters for failing to provide them with documents that could establish its links with the French firm Bolloré.

Luchelle Feukeng: Communication and Storytelling Manager,

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Fred Njehu, Pan African Political Strategist, Greenpeace Africa

[email protected]