Examining the Legal Issues Raised in the Case of Verein KlimaSeniorinnen Schweiz and Others V Switzerland

Year 2025, Volume: 83 Issue: 2, 689 - 707, 21.08.2025

Ebru Demir

Abstract

On April 9, 2024, the European Court of Human Rights (hereinafter the Court or the ECtHR) for the first time found a State Party in violation of its obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights. In Verein KlimaSe niorinnen Schweiz and Others v Switzerland, the ECtHR for the first time showed that it has authority to examine whether state parties are fulfilling their human rights obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights in the context of climate change. The judgment has already created important discussions in fields of human rights and environmental and climate law. With this judgment, the number of applications both before the Court and domestic courts – is likely to increase. This article aims to thoroughly examine this landmark case. In the article, f irst, the complaints and claims of the applicants in Verein KlimaSeniorinnen Schweiz and Others v Switzerland are scrutinized. It is shown that the applicants designed their application by considerably focusing on the impacts of climate change on their fundamental rights and freedoms guaranteed under the European Convention on Human Rights. The article then discusses the counter arguments put forward by the Swiss Government. In the Verein KlimaSeniorinnen Schweiz and Others v Switzerland case, the Swiss Government rejected the applicants’ arguments by relying on very common counter arguments that we frequently observe in climate litigation (namely, a drop in the ocean argument and separation of powers argument). These arguments are analysed, along with similar arguments presented in other climate cases. Finally, the article examines the ECtHR’s responses to the Swiss Government. This f inal section of the article highlights the Court’s significant findings which importantly underline the intrinsic links between climate change and human rights.

Keywords

ECtHR , Climate change , Verein KlimaSeniorinnen Schweiz and Others v. Switzerland , A drop in the ocean argument , Separation of powers argument

Verein KlimaSeniorinnen Schweiz ve Diğerleri V İsviçre Kararında Öne Çıkan Hukuki Meselelerin İncelenmesi

Abstract

9 Nisan 2024 tarihinde Avrupa İnsan Hakları Mahkemesi (kısaca Mahkeme veya AİHM) tarihi bir karara imza atmış ve tarihinde ilk kez iklim değişikliği alanında bir ihlal kararı vermiştir. İsviçre’ye karşı açılmış olan Verein KlimaSeniorinnen Schweiz ve Diğerleri kararıyla birlikte Mahkeme, iklim değişikliği konusunda devletlerin kendilerine düşen yükümlülükleri yerine getirip getirmediklerini denetleme noktasında yetkili olduğunu göstermiştir. Karar gerek insan hakları alanında gerekse çevre ve iklim hukuku alanında büyük bir yankı uyandırmıştır. Karar, hem AİHM önüne hem de ulusal mahkemeler önüne iklim değişikliği alanında çok sayıda başvurunun gelmesine zemin hazırlayacaktır. Eldeki çalışma Mahkeme’nin tarihinde bir dönüm noktası olan bu davayı detaylı bir şekilde incelemeyi amaçlamaktadır. Çalışmada ilk olarak Verein KlimaSeniorinnen Schweiz ve Diğerleri davasında başvuru sahiplerinin şikâyetleri ve mağduriyet iddiaları incelenmiştir. Başvuru sahipleri, iklim değişikliğinin Avrupa İnsan Hakları Sözleşmesi’nde yer alan temel hak ve özgürlüklerine etkisi üzerinden başvurularını şekillendirmişlerdir. Çalışmada daha sonra İsviçre Hükümeti’nin karşıt argümanlarına (counter arguments) yer verilecektir. İsviçre Hükümeti, bu davada, iklim davalarında sıklıkla karşımıza çıkan tezleri (okyanusta bir damla tezi ve güçler ayrılığı tezi) öne sürmüştür. Bu argümanlar, benzer argümanların öne sürüldüğü farklı iklim davaları ile birlikte, detaylı bir şekilde analiz edilecektir. Çalışmada son olarak, AİHM’in İsviçre Hükümeti’nin karşıt argümanlarına yönelik değerlendirmeleri incelenmiştir. Mahkeme’nin karardaki bu önemli değerlendirmeleri, iklim değişikliğinin insan haklarını çok yakından ilgilendiren bir problem olduğunu açık bir şekilde tespit etmektedir.

Keywords

AİHM , İklim değişikliği , Verein KlimaSeniorinnen Schweiz ve Diğerleri v. İsviçre , Okyanusta bir damla tezi , Güçler ayrılığı tezi

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