All articles tagged with #government inaction
Switzerland's top court ruled that the government's failures in addressing climate change breached human rights, setting a precedent for potential penalties in national courts. The ruling, which dismissed two other climate cases, alleged that government inaction violated people's rights to life, privacy, and family.
The European Court of Human Rights is set to rule on three climate cases, including a lawsuit by Portuguese youths against 32 European countries for failing to avert catastrophic climate change, and cases brought by elderly Swiss women and a former French mayor. The verdicts will determine whether weak climate change policies violate human rights, potentially setting a precedent for future climate litigation and influencing national emissions reduction targets. A ruling against the governments could lead to revised targets and further litigation, while a loss for the claimants could deter future legal action. The outcomes will also have implications beyond Europe, potentially impacting climate litigation in other countries.
Polish truckers have blocked roads to three border crossings with Ukraine in protest against what they perceive as government inaction over a loss of business to foreign competitors during Russia's war on Ukraine. The truckers are demanding the reimposition of restrictions on the number of Ukraine-registered trucks entering Poland and a ban on transport companies with capital from outside the European Union. The blockades have caused disruptions in road transport and have been criticized by Ukraine's Infrastructure Minister for harming the interests and economies of both countries. The affected border crossings typically see several hundred trucks passing in each direction per day.
Families of the hostages held in the Gaza Strip by Palestinian terrorists held a press conference in Tel Aviv, criticizing the government for its inaction and failure to update them on negotiations for their loved ones' release. They expressed their frustration and urged the government to take responsibility and act. The families have been patient for 20 days but now demand action. The government's point-person on the hostage matter, Gal Hirsch, was also criticized for his ineffective communication with the families. Similar demonstrations were held in New York City's Times Square. The government is facing pressure from both the families and foreign countries to resolve the crisis diplomatically.
Six Portuguese youth, ranging from ages 11 to 24, are leading a landmark lawsuit against 32 countries, including all EU member states, Norway, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Russia, and Turkey, arguing that government inaction on climate change discriminates against young people and poses a tangible risk to their lives and health. The case, which was sparked by forest fires in Portugal in 2017, will be heard at the European Court of Human Rights later this month. The group's legal team will argue that the worsening climate crisis is breaching their rights and will push for higher targets for cutting emissions. The case is seen as a historic opportunity for the court to clarify what human rights law requires states to do to protect present and future generations from climate-induced harm.
Mothers of the thousands of people who have disappeared in Mexico due to violence held protests on the International Day of the Disappeared, demanding that the government take more action to locate their loved ones. Most of the missing individuals are believed to have been abducted by drug cartels or kidnappers. The protesters also criticized the government's apparent effort to downplay the issue. Lack of funding and resources have left police and prosecutors unable to conduct thorough searches, leaving it to volunteer groups of mothers to search for their missing children. President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has claimed that the number of missing has been exaggerated, launching a door-to-door effort to check if missing relatives have returned. Activists argue that the government's resources should be focused on finding the missing or their remains.