Protest for climate justice, Paris, March 12, 2022. RAPHAEL KESSLER / HANS LUCAS VIA AFP
This is the fourth climate-related lawsuit brought against France. The advocacy group Notre affaire à tous (“Our shared concern”) has taken the French government to France’s highest administrative court, the Conseil d’Etat, for failing to uphold its “fair share” in the global climate effort. In this legal action for abuse of power, made public on Thursday, December 4, the nonprofit organization asked the court to acknowledge that France is experiencing a “persistent delay” in reducing its greenhouse gas emissions and is not fulfilling its equitable contribution to the fight against climate change, in light of its historical responsibility and financial means.
The principle of a “fair share” or equity, which is recognized in law, diplomacy and scientific research, “is absolutely not accounted for in national policies,” said Jérémie Suissa, executive director of Notre affaire à tous. “Yet it is a legal obligation and the only way to solve the climate challenge.”
The organization has been involved in three previous lawsuits against the French government for failing to address climate change. As part of the so-called “case of the century,” it helped secure a court ruling in 2021 against the government for failing to reduce emissions sufficiently – a case in which the Paris administrative court found that the ecological harm had been repaired, though an appeal is pending. The Conseil d’Etat, which also ordered the government to adopt additional measures to meet its 2030 climate targets, has just closed this second legal action. Finally, a separate lawsuit was launched in April by 14 citizens and advocacy groups who accuse the government of failing in its duty to protect the population from the impacts of climate change.
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