Europe’s top court tells nations to shield people from climate change in case with wide implications

By MOLLY QUELL and RAF CASERT
Associated Press

STRASBOURG, France (AP) — Europe’s highest human rights court has ruled that its member nations must better protect their citizens from the consequences of climate change. Tuesday’s decision was a landmark ruling that sided with a group of Swiss women against their government in a case that could have implications across the continent. The European Court of Human Rights rejected two other, similar cases on procedural grounds. But the Swiss case sets a legal precedent in the Council of Europe’s 46 member states against which future lawsuits will be judged. The court ruled that Switzerland failed in its duty to combat climate change and meet emissions targets.