Sokor court hears children’s climate change case vs gov’t
SEOUL—South Korea’s Constitutional Court began hearing on Tuesday a case that accuses the government of having failed to protect 200 people, including dozens of young environmental activists and children, by not tackling climate change.
The proceeding is Asia’s first such climate-related litigation, the plaintiffs said, which includes four petitions by children and infants among others dating from 2020, as well as one from a fetus at the time, nicknamed Woodpecker.
Climate lawsuits are a global trend, drawing increasing public interest, said Lee Jongseok, the president of the court, which is one of the highest in South Korea.
“The court recognizes the importance and public interest of this case,” he said.
The hearing comes weeks after Europe’s top human rights court ruled that the Swiss government violated its citizens’ rights by not doing enough to combat climate change.
‘Insufficient’
“South Korea’s current climate plans are not sufficient to keep the temperature increase within 1.5 degrees Celsius, thus violating the state’s obligation to protect fundamental rights,” the plaintiffs said in a statement.
Scientists say a global temperature rise beyond 1.5 degrees Celsius above the preindustrial average, will trigger catastrophic and irreversible impacts, from melting ice sheets to the collapse of ocean currents.
