歐洲人權法院關於氣候訴訟之歷史性判決──簡評2024年4月9日瑞士年長婦女團體案

Breaking Judgment in European Court of Human Rights on Climate Litigation－A Brief Comment on the Case Verein KlimaSeniorinnen Schweiz and Others v. Switzerland of April 9, 2024

歐洲人權法院首次針對氣候變遷對於人類生活與健康之影響，做出了歷史性判決。本案除採納了IPCC之科學證據外，也確認氣候變遷與國家之不作為或作為不足間，具有因果關係。本案雖沒有直接之損害賠償，但確立了國家在歐洲人權公約下，有積極義務採取氣候變遷之對應措施，否則將構成公約第8條對於私人生活保障之違反。此外，本案雖承認年長婦女團體案之當事人地位，但對於具體之個人，依舊認為因氣候變遷影響健康之證據不足，沒有當事人地位。

For the first time, the European Court of Human Rights has made a historic judgment on the impact of climate change on human life and health. In addition to adopting scientific evidence from the IPCC, this case also confirmed that there is a causal link between climate change and the country’s inaction or lack of action. Although there is no direct compensation for damages in this case, it has established that the state has a positive obligation to take adequate measures to respond to climate change under the European Convention on Human Rights. Failure to do so will constitute a violation of Article 8 of the Convention on the protection of private life. In addition, although in this case the ECHR recognizes the locus standi of the elderly women’s group, it still declares that there is insufficient evidence for the direct impact of climate change on health for specific individuals, and therefore an individual does not enjoy a locus standi.