Stockholm, Sweden, February 19, 2025 – Sweden’s Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday that a class action lawsuit, initiated by climate activist Greta Thunberg and 299 other plaintiffs, cannot proceed in its current form.
The lawsuit sought to compel the government to adopt stronger measures to combat climate change, arguing that Sweden’s actions fall short of protecting rights under the European Convention on Human Rights.
Filed in 2022 by the Aurora group, the case claimed that the state’s insufficient efforts to limit global warming violated individual human rights. After the district court referred the matter to the Supreme Court in 2023—following the state’s request for dismissal—the highest court clarified its position. “A court cannot decide that the parliament or the government must take any specific action. The political bodies decide independently on which specific climate measures Sweden should take,” the court stated.
The ruling noted that while a lawsuit formulated solely to assess whether individuals’ rights under the convention have been violated might be permissible, the current case’s objective of mandating particular state actions falls outside the judiciary’s remit. The plaintiffs had aimed to force Sweden to implement measures to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, a target recognized internationally.
This decision adds to a series of mixed outcomes in climate-related litigation across Europe. Last year, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that the Swiss government had breached citizens’ rights by not doing enough to address climate change, while dismissing similar claims in other cases on procedural grounds.
Latest data show dwindling river flows and worsening drought: these conditions are triggered by warmer-than-average weather and lower precipitation across much of the continent since the beginning of the year, according to the Drought in Europe – April 2025 report, published by the JRC.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on world leaders to urgently step up climate efforts ahead of COP30, stressing that the planet faces deepening threats from worsening environmental disasters.
Climate change is threatening the sustainability of low Earth orbit, with new research from MIT revealing that shrinking atmospheric layers could significantly reduce the number of satellites able to operate safely by the end of the century.
Almond trees in northeastern Spain started to bloom in late January, nearly three weeks earlier than usual.
Global temperatures exceeded 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels in 2024 for the first time, driven by record emissions and extreme weather patterns, highlighting the urgent need for decisive climate action.
The US trade deficit reached a record $140.5 billion (€123.6 billion) in March, driven by a surge in imports, particularly pharmaceuticals, as businesses stockpiled to offset potential tariff impacts.
As European NATO countries rush to strengthen their armed forces, large pension bills threaten to divert funds from urgently needed military hardware.
Germany has called on India and Pakistan to avoid further escalation and protect civilians following deadly cross-border missile strikes between the two nations.
Ukrainian drones targeted Moscow for the third day in a row on Wednesday, disrupting air traffic at the capital’s airports just hours before Chinese President Xi Jinping's scheduled arrival for a high-profile visit.
Pakistan has restored access to X months after imposing a ban following its controversial February 2024 general elections, despite earlier claims that the platform posed a national security threat.
India has fired a series of missiles into Pakistani-controlled territory, in what it has described as “Operation Sindoor”
ChatGPT has rapidly emerged as one of the most influential artificial intelligence tools, transforming how we interact with technology through natural language.
Discover every major VE Day 80 event in Britain, 5‑8 May 2025—from London’s parade and fly‑past to street parties, concerts and museum exhibitions.
New Tesla registrations in Denmark collapsed 67 % in April to 180 vehicles, industry data showed Thursday, underscoring a sharp demand drop for the EV maker in one of its once-strong European markets.
Chinese e-commerce platform Temu has announced it will no longer sell goods directly from China to U.S. customers, shifting instead to U.S.-based sellers amid the closure of a long-criticized customs loophole.
Latest data show dwindling river flows and worsening drought: these conditions are triggered by warmer-than-average weather and lower precipitation across much of the continent since the beginning of the year, according to the Drought in Europe – April 2025 report, published by the JRC.
In a boost for the green transition in the Middle East and North Africa, a joint guarantee agreement worth €300 million to facilitate the green transformation of urban areas and support the development of green hydrogen market in the Middle East and North Africa has been signed.
Transitioning to green agriculture requires a fundamental shift in budget priorities, sustainable practices, and consumer behavior, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) emphasized at the 4th Agribusiness Development Forum held in Baku
On the sidelines of the Istanbul Natural Resources Summit, Azerbaijan’s Minister of Energy, Parviz Shahbazov, held bilateral meetings with Bulgarian Energy Minister Zhecho Stankov and Romanian Energy Minister Sebastian-Ioan Burduja.
The European Commission has announced the allocation of EUR 52 million in funding support through the EU Renewable Energy Financing Mechanism (RENEWFM) to nine renewable energy projects in Finland and Estonia.
The US trade deficit reached a record $140.5 billion (€123.6 billion) in March, driven by a surge in imports, particularly pharmaceuticals, as businesses stockpiled to offset potential tariff impacts.
As European NATO countries rush to strengthen their armed forces, large pension bills threaten to divert funds from urgently needed military hardware.
Germany has called on India and Pakistan to avoid further escalation and protect civilians following deadly cross-border missile strikes between the two nations.
Ukrainian drones targeted Moscow for the third day in a row on Wednesday, disrupting air traffic at the capital’s airports just hours before Chinese President Xi Jinping's scheduled arrival for a high-profile visit.
Pakistan has restored access to X months after imposing a ban following its controversial February 2024 general elections, despite earlier claims that the platform posed a national security threat.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment