Switzerland told it isn't doing enough to comply with climate ruling
The Swiss government has been pushing back against a landmark legal climate ruling last year.
ADVERTISEMENT
Switzerland hasn't shown that it's meeting the requirements of a landmark climate change decision from Europe's highest human rights court, the Council of Europe announced on Friday.
Last April the European Court of Human Rights sided with a group of older Swiss women against their government.
It ruled that countries must better protect their people from the consequences of climate change and that Switzerland 'had failed to comply with its duties' to combat climate change and meet emissions targets.
Six months after the decision, Switzerland asked for the case to be shut, arguing it was fully in compliance with the obligations set by the Strasbourg-based court.
The intergovernmental body that supervises the court's judgments, the Committee of Ministers, recognised that Switzerland had made some progress but hadn't demonstrated it was meeting all of the requirements. Environmentalists hail the decision as a victory
'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,' Rosmarie Wydler-Wälti, co-president of Senior Women for Climate Protection (KlimaSeniorinnen) and one of the plaintiffs in the case, said in a statement.
The group, which counts around 2,000 members across Switzerland with an average age of 73, argued that older women's rights are especially infringed on because they are most affected by the extreme heat that will become more frequent due to global warming. What happens next in the KlimaSeniorinnen case?
Following a three-day meeting this week, Bern was asked to provide more information on a number of topics including 'concrete measures being taken to alleviate the most severe or imminent consequences of climate change in Switzerland, including any particular needs for protection, especially for persons in vulnerable situation.'
This includes helping people adapt to heatwaves, for example, and involving citizens in the development of climate protection measures.
The Committee of Ministers, composed of the foreign affairs ministers from the body's 46 member states, will meet again in September 2025.
By then, the Swiss Federal Council must also declare the foundations of its climate strategy - including quantifying emissions within a national CO2 budget framework.
The decision ignited debate in Switzerland and the government claims the court has overstepped its mandate.
Corina Heri, an expert in climate change litigation at Tilburg Law School, said the decision to ask for more information was typical of the compliance process at the ECHR.
'Nothing is final yet,' she told The Associated Press. Climate litigation is on the rise
Environmental groups, frustrated by what they see as the failure of elected officials to combat climate change, have increasingly turned to courts to advance their cause. ADVERTISEMENT
Late last year, the International Court of Justice took up the largest case in its history, hearing the plight of several small island nations helpless in combating the devastating impact of climate change that they feel endangers their very survival.
The world has already warmed 1.3 degrees Celsius since pre-industrial times because of the burning of fossil fuels.
Between 1990 and 2020, sea levels rose by a global average of 10 centimetres and parts of the South Pacific have seen significantly more.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Euronews
4 hours ago
- Euronews
Romania's new president nominates centre-right former mayor as PM
Romania's new pro-Western president, Nicusor Dan, on Friday nominated a centre-right former mayor to be prime minister. The nomination comes as Romania, a European Union and NATO member state, seeks to usher in a new government to end a protracted political crisis that has gripped the nation since last year. Dan nominated 56-year-old Ilie Bolojan of the centre-right National Liberal Party, or PNL, after a fresh round of talks Friday following weeks of deliberations. Bolojan had previously served as acting president from February to May, when Dan defeated a hard-right opponent in a heated presidential election rerun. The closely watched vote came months after the previous election was annulled by a top court, which plunged Romania into a deep political crisis. Dan described Bolojan as the 'most suitable person' for the job, which includes tackling a budget crisis. 'It is in Romania's interest for the government to be supported by a solid majority, and the parties have understood this,' he said. 'Romania's urgent priority is economic recovery, but ... you need a solid foundation.' Nomination will need to be approved by lawmakers Bolojan's nomination will need to be approved by parliament, and his government is expected to be comprised of the leftist Social Democratic Party, or PSD, the PNL, the reformist Save Romania Union party, and the small ethnic Hungarian UDMR party. The PSD has pushed for a power-sharing agreement that would see a rotation of the prime ministerial post. Responding to his nomination, Bolojan said he's 'fully aware of the great responsibility' the role will bring and acknowledged it 'will not be an easy undertaking.' 'I will continue discussions with political parties to secure a parliamentary majority, finalise the government, and define the governing program,' he said. 'I will pursue three priorities: to restore order to the country's finances, to work toward good governance that creates conditions for development in Romania, and ... to show proper respect to the Romanian people.' Reducing Romania's considerable budget deficit—one of the greatest in the 27-nation EU bloc—will be one of the main challenges facing a new government. Deep social divisions in the nation were also made clear by the controversies that surrounded the presidential election. According to Cristian Andrei, a Bucharest-based political consultant, the new government will face the challenge of reaching a longer-term consensus over already delayed state reforms. 'There is only a disputed agreement on very short-term measures for the economic and budget crisis,' he told The Associated Press. 'If the short-term measures come with a social cost, inflation ... (and) will not be met by profound changes in policies and institutions, then the political crisis will loom over the next years and (future) elections.' In the wake of the May presidential election, Bolojan, acting as president, named PNL's Catalin Predoiu to lead the cabinet after Marcel Ciolacu resigned when his coalition's candidate did not advance to the runoff.
Euronews
a day ago
- Euronews
EU remains ‘highly vulnerable' and dependent on US defence production
Despite recent efforts to boost European defence production, the bloc remains 'highly vulnerable' and heavily reliant on the United States—particularly for major, high-end defence equipment—according to a new analysis by the Brussels-based economic think tank Bruegel. Trade statistics show that the value of weapons imported to Europe increased from approximately $3.4 billion for the period 2019–2021 to $8.5 billion for 2022–2024 across the 27 member states, with the US leading this increase despite concerns over its capabilities. 'Europe has the industrial production capacities to increase production of tanks and infantry fighting vehicles,' said Guntramm Wolff, Bruegel's senior fellow, during the launch of the report Fit for war by 2030? on Friday morning.* 'What is more concerning is the more modern weapons systems, where we have limited capabilities,' he added. Bruegel and Kiel Institute for the World Economy researchers have detected that the reliance on the US for certain defence and security domains is very high, including hypersonic missiles, next generation jets, AI integrated systems and intelligence services. 'There has been some increase in various systems—artillery in particular has grown substantially—but these increases are still relatively small compared to the overall demand,' Wolff said. For example, the report notes that Europe held 1,627 main battle tanks in 2023, while projections suggest 2,359 to 2,920 will be needed in the coming years, depending on the scenario. As for air defence systems such as the Patriot and SAMP/T, stock levels in 2024 stood at 35 units—far below the 89 required. 'Major investments in research and development will be essential,' the authors advise EU policymakers and national governments, especially given Europe's lagging defence R&D compared to global competitors. In 2023, Europe invested €13 billion in military R&D. By contrast, China invested €21 billion, while the US allocated a staggering $145 billion. In March, the European Commission unveiled its rearmament initiative—now called Defence Readiness 2030—with a target of mobilising up to €800 billion to address the bloc's most critical defence shortfalls. Meanwhile, NATO is expected to call on its 32 members to increase defence spending to 5% of GDP by 2032—or potentially by 2035—a target Spain has already criticised as 'unreasonable'. But simply increasing budgets won't solve the problem, the report warns. 'More military spending will not automatically and immediately translate into military capabilities, especially if the defence industrial base is already under strain,' the researchers argue. The real challenge, they stress, lies in converting funding into tangible capabilities through a coherent, forward-looking strategic and operational plan. With the European defence market still highly fragmented, greater integration would improve cost-effectiveness. But alongside procurement reform, military planning must also be strengthened. 'This is really about rebuilding the ability to understand war through the lens of peer conflict—and that is just as much of a challenge as disbursing the money,' said Dr. Alexandr Burilkov, assistant director for research at the GLOBSEC GeoTech Center. According to the researchers' estimates, even the proposed €800 billion may fall short—insufficient to cover the development of missile capabilities, procurement of tanks, artillery, and infantry fighting vehicles, modernisation of forces, and investment in air defence systems. Russian drones struck the Black Sea port city of Odesa and the northeastern city of Kharkiv overnight, killing at least one person, Ukrainian officials have said. The attacks against Odesa sparked fires in several apartment blocks, Ukraine's Emergency Service said. Flames engulfed a four-storey residential building in the city, which partly collapsed and injured three emergency workers. A separate blaze spread across the upper section of a 23-storey high-rise, leading to the evacuation of 600 residents. In total, one person was killed and 14 others were wounded in the overnight strikes against the port city, according to Odesa's regional prosecutor's office. At least eight drones hit civilian infrastructure in Kharkiv, injuring two children and two others, Ukraine's Emergency Service said. A further four people were wounded in a second Russian strike on Friday. Ukraine's Air Force said Russia launched 80 Shahed and decoy drones overnight, with Ukrainian air defences intercepting or jamming 70 of them. A Russian missile strike on a nine-storey Kyiv apartment building earlier this week was a sign that more pressure must be applied on Moscow to agree to a ceasefire, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Thursday. The drone and missile attack on Kyiv early Tuesday, the deadliest assault on the capital this year, killed 28 people across the city and wounded 142 others, Kyiv Military Administration head Tymur Tkachenko said. 'This attack is a reminder to the world that Russia rejects a ceasefire and chooses killing,' Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram, and thanked Ukraine's partners who he said are ready to pressure Russia to 'feel the real cost of the war". As Russia proceeds with a summer offensive across the roughly 1,000-kilometre front line, US-led peace efforts have failed to gain traction. Russian President Vladimir Putin has effectively rejected an offer from US President Donald Trump for an immediate 30-day ceasefire, making it conditional on a halt to Ukraine's mobilisation effort and a freeze on Western arms supplies. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Friday that the date for the next round of peace talks is expected to be set next week. Ukrainian officials have not recently spoken about resuming talks with Russia, last held when delegations met in Istanbul on 2 June, though Ukraine continues to offer a ceasefire and support US-led diplomatic efforts to stop the fighting. The two rounds of brief talks yielded only agreements on the exchange of prisoners and wounded soldiers.
Euronews
a day ago
- Euronews
German and French industry united on EU aircraft sector tariffs
The German Aerospace Industries Association (BDLI) wants only completed products aircraft and helicopters to be targeted by the EU for retaliatory tariffs - leaving the market for the supply of parts unscathed - if trade negotiations between the EU and the US founder, the group has told Euronews. It's position aligns it with the French sector's stance. 'If the EU must respond, counter-tariffs should focus strictly on fully finished aerospace end products – such as complete aircraft and helicopters – and explicitly exclude spare parts or critical products,' BDLI said in an email to Euronews. 'This is essential to avoid unintended harm to European and global production networks.' US aircraft are included in the European Commission's draft listof €95 billion worth of US products that could face duties if ongoing negotiations fail. The list was open for industry consultation until 10 June and now awaits approval by EU member states. BDLI's position mirrors that of Airbus CEO Guillaume Faury, who also chairs the French aerospace association GIFAS. Speaking to French media in May, Faury backed tariffs on finished aircraft but warned against measures affecting spare parts, to avoid disrupting the global supply chain. A source familiar with the matter told Euronews that the French government supports the stance of its aerospace industry. In response to the EU's inclusion of aircraft in its draft retaliation list, the US has launched an investigation that could pave the way for the Trump administration to impose additional tariffs on the EU aerospace sector. Trade tensions between the EU and the US risk reignitingthe long-standing rivalry between aerospace giants Boeing and Airbus. However, the two economies' production systems are tightly intertwined. For instance, the LEAP engine, used in both Airbus and Boeing jets, is co-produced by US-based General Electric and France's Safran. Aircraft remain a central issue in ongoing EU-US negotiations. Following a discussion with US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Canada on Monday, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said both leaders had directed their teams to accelerate negotiation. EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič also met with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on Monday, on the margins of the G7. A follow-up meeting with US counterparts is scheduled to take place in Washington on Thursday and Friday, an EU spokesperson confirmed. The US currently imposes tariffs of 50% on EU steel and aluminium, 25% on cars, and 10% on all other EU imports. President Trump has warned he will raise tariffs on all EU imports to 50% if no 'fair' agreement is reached by 9 July. The UK has the highest rate of telework among 18 European countries, with employees working an average of 1.8 days a week from home. On a wider scale, this total also places the UK second out 40 nations. But, aside from the UK, how do work-from-home (WFH) rates differ across Europe and the world? And what might explain variations between countries? The Global Survey of Working Arrangements (G-SWA) shows that telework trends have evolved since the COVID-19 pandemic. The fourth wave of the survey, conducted between November 2024 and February 2025, covers full-time workers aged 20 to 64 who have completed tertiary education (college or university). While the global telework average stands at 1.2 days per week, WFH rates vary significantly across the 40 countries surveyed, ranging from just 0.5 days per week in South Korea to 1.9 days in Canada. Several factors underpin the UK's top ranking, according to Dr. Cevat Giray Aksoy, lead economist at the EBRD and associate professor of economics at King's College London. 'The UK scores highly on cultural individualism, which is strongly associated with comfort in autonomous work environments,' said Giray Aksoy. Aksoy noted that the UK experienced long and stringent lockdowns, accelerating the adoption of remote work infrastructure and norms. He also explained that the UK's labour market is concentrated in service sectors — such as finance, consulting, and media — where WFH can be a practical option. "Crucially, British workers have developed strong and durable preferences for hybrid work, typically wanting 2–3 WFH days per week. This is no longer a marginal benefit; it's a core expectation," he said. Aksoy warned that firms ignoring this reality may face a serious disadvantage in attracting and retaining talent — particularly when competing with employers in other English-speaking countries that have embraced flexibility. In Europe, Finland (1.7 days) and Germany (1.6 days) followed the UK in the ranking. The WFH rates are also relatively high in Portugal (1.5 days), as well as in Hungary and the Netherlands (both 1.4 days). Employees in Czechia, Italy, and Sweden work from home 1.3 days per week, which is slightly above the global average. Romania, Spain, and Austria align with the global average, each reporting 1.2 remote work days per week. Dr. Aksoy attributes the variation across European countries to a mix of structural, cultural, and economic factors. 'Among these, the most powerful predictor is individualism — a cultural trait that emphasises personal autonomy, self-reliance, and independence over collective goals or close supervision,' he said. He added that other factors also play a role. These include the severity and duration of COVID-19 lockdowns, population density, and the industrial structure of each economy. For instance, countries with a larger share of remote-friendly sectors such as IT and finance are better positioned to support hybrid models. Densely populated countries also often see higher WFH levels, in part due to longer commutes. Greece reports the lowest WFH rate in Europe at just 0.6 days per week. 'Part of the explanation lies in the structure of the Greek economy, which leans heavily on sectors like tourism, retail, and hospitality — jobs that generally require physical presence,' said Aksoy. 'But deeper cultural and institutional factors also play a role. Greece scores relatively low on individualism,' he added. He stated that digital adoption and management practices were relatively underdeveloped before the pandemic, which likely slowed the normalisation of WFH. While Finland ranks second in Europe with 1.7 remote work days per week, Norway and Denmark report significantly lower rates at just 0.9 days. Sweden, with 1.3 days, sits in between, reflecting a clear divide in remote work trends across the Nordic countries. Aksoy explained that Finland has a slightly more individualistic culture and a long-standing emphasis on work-life balance and employee autonomy compared to Denmark and Norway, which may maintain more traditional management practices. 'Finnish organisations, especially in the public sector and technology industries, were early adopters of flexible work policies — even before the pandemic,' he added. Among Europe's five largest economies, France has the lowest remote work rate, with employees averaging just 1 day per week from home. Turkey follows closely at 0.9 days, while Poland is slightly ahead with 1.1 days. Overall levels of working from home have declined globally, dropping from an average of 1.6 days per week in 2022 to 1.33 days in 2023. In 2024 and 2025, they fell far more modestly to 1.27 days. The research concludes that remote work levels have roughly stabilised since 2023. 'However, this stability doesn't mean stasis. Incremental shifts could still occur — driven by new technologies, changing demographics, or evolving labour market conditions,' Aksoy added.
