RIGHTS-BASED LITIGATION IN TACKLING CLIMATE CHANGE: CAN THE ECtHR BE EFFECTIVE IN PROTECTING HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE CONTEXT OF CLIMATE CHANGE?

Year 2023, Issue: 26, 89 - 140, 18.07.2023

Engin Fırat

Abstract

The impacts of climate change have emerged as one of the most pressing challenges facing the global community today. As a result, the protection of human rights in the context of climate change has become an increasingly important issue, particularly in light of the potential for climate change to exacerbate existing human rights challenges. The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has emerged as a key legal institution in the protection of human rights in Europe. However, the question remains: Can the ECtHR be effective in protecting human rights in the context of climate change? This research article aims to examine the potential for litigation in the ECtHR as a means of protecting human rights in the context of climate change after establishing nexus between the climate change phenomenon and human rights. Through a comprehensive analysis of environmental case law and legal frameworks, this article explores the extent to which the ECtHR has the potential to engage with pending climate cases and future litigation in this area. The article concludes that, despite the fact that technical legal hurdles, both procedural and substantive, must be overcome during the review phases, the Court may still have significant potential to address climate cases. Furthermore, this research highlights the importance of utilising litigation as a means of protecting human rights in the context of climate change for the sake of the role that the ECtHR can play in promoting greater awareness of the human rights implications of climate change.

Keywords

Climate change, human rights, environmental case law, rights-based climate litigation, European Court of Human Rights

İklim değişikliği ile mücadelede hak temelli davalar: İklim değişikliği bağlamında insan haklarını korumak için İHAM etkili bir merci olabilir mi?

Abstract

İklim değişikliğinin etkileri, günümüzde küresel toplumun karşı karşıya olduğu en acil sorunlardan biri olarak ortaya çıkmaktadır. Bu nedenle, özellikle iklim değişikliğinin mevcut insan hakları zorluklarını şiddetlendirme potansiyeli dikkate alındığında, iklim değişikliği bağlamında insan haklarının korunması giderek daha önemli bir konu haline gelmiştir. İnsan Hakları Avrupa Mahkemesi (İHAM), insan haklarının Avrupa’da korunması için kilit bir yargısal kurum olarak ortaya çıkmıştır. O halde, İHAM, iklim değişikliği bağlamında insan haklarının korunması için etkili bir merci olabilir mi? Bu araştırma makalesi, iklim değişikliği olgusu ile insan hakları arasında bağ kurduktan sonra, İHAM’ın iklim davalarıyla başa çıkma potansiyelini, iklim değişikliği bağlamında insan haklarını koruma aracı olarak, incelemeyi amaçlamaktadır. Çevre hukuku içtihadı ve ilgili hukukî çerçevelerin kapsamlı bir analizi yoluyla, bu makale Strazburg Mahkemesi’nin derdest iklim başvuruları ve gelecekteki başvurularla ne ölçüde ilgilenme potansiyeline sahip olduğunu araştırmaktadır. Makale, hem usûl hem de esas bakımından inceleme aşamalarında karşılaşılacak teknik hukukî engellerin aşılması gerektiği gerçeğine rağmen, Mahkeme’nin iklim davalarını ele alma konusunda hâlâ önemli bir potansiyeli olabileceği sonucuna varmaktadır. Ayrıca, bu araştırma, İHAM’ın iklim değişikliğinin insan hakları üzerindeki etkileri konusunda daha fazla farkındalığın teşvik edilmesinde oynayabileceği rol adına, iklim değişikliği bağlamında insan haklarını korumanın bir yolu olarak dava açmanın önemini vurgulamaktadır.

Keywords

İklim değişikliği, insan hakları, çevre hukuku içtihadı, hak bazlı iklim davaları, İnsan Hakları Avrupa Mahkemesi

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