Editorial: Le Monde

• A state can now be held accountable for failing to protect its citizens from the consequences of climate change.
• The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) solidified this through a pioneering decision that may set a precedent for the forty-six member states of the Council of Europe.
• The ECHR ruled on a complaint lodged by women accusing Swiss authorities of inadequate climate policies to protect their health.
• The ECHR’s judgement is a critical advancement in the fight against climate change, explicitly associating climate change with quality of life, health, and wellbeing.
• Fighting greenhouse gases is no longer an option but an obligation for governments.
• The decision of the ECHR now obligates the Council's forty-six member states to execute ambitious public climate policies.

Conclusion: Despite the lack of sanctions for non-compliance, the ECHR's decision exposes the hypocrisy and cynicism that allows states to breach their commitments. Holding them accountable to their citizens represents a constructive progress in the fight against global warming.

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