The ruling, which is final and binding across all 46 countries that have signed the European Convention, favors activists suing for stricter limits on greenhouse-gas emissions|Alisdare Hickson|CC BY-SA 2.0

For the first time, Europe’s top human rights court ruled that governments must safeguard citizens from climate change impacts, ruling that Switzerland’s inactivity in curbing emissions violates citizens’ human rights.

The ruling, which is final and binding across all 46 countries that have signed the European Convention, favors activists suing for stricter limits on greenhouse-gas emissions.

Stemming from a case by Senior Women for Climate Protection Switzerland, it emphasized the vulnerability of older women to climate effects.

The decision directly impacts climate lawsuits across Europe, including cases against Shell and TotalEnergies.