European Court of Human Rights Ruling:

• The European Court of Human Rights found the Swiss Government guilty of violating the rights of senior women citizens from KlimaSeniorinnen, due to inadequate actions to curb emissions.
• This decision highlights the growing recognition of climate change as a human rights crisis globally.
• It underscores the failure of governments to protect vulnerable groups, particularly women, from the impacts of climate change.

Supreme Court of India’s Ruling:

• The Supreme Court of India ruled that individuals have the right ‘to be free from the adverse impacts of climate change’ under Articles 14 and 21 of the Indian Constitution.
• This establishes a legal precedent in India, recognizing climate change as a threat to fundamental rights, including the right to equality and the right to life.

Global Climate Crisis:

• The World Meteorological Organization’s State of the Global Climate Report for 2023 indicates record-breaking climate indicators, including the hottest year on record, ocean heat levels, sea level rise, Antarctic Sea ice loss, and glacier retreat.
• These alarming trends highlight the urgent need for action to address the escalating global climate crisis.

UN Secretary General’s Message:

• UN Secretary General António Guterres emphasises the critical situation on International Mother Earth Day 2024, stressing humanity’s destructive impact on nature and the urgent need to restore harmony with the environment.

India’s Climate Action and Vulnerability:

• India has made significant progress in decoupling emissions from economic growth, achieving two NDC targets ahead of schedule.
• However, the country remains highly vulnerable to climate change, with over 80% of its population living in districts at risk of climate-induced disasters.

Legal Accountability and Climate Action:

• The legal recognition of climate change impacts within the framework of constitutional fundamental rights sets a crucial precedent for holding governments accountable for climate action.
• This approach can accelerate climate action by fostering a more rights-based perspective and encouraging integrated approaches between government, private sector, and civil society.

Pathways for Accelerating Climate Action:

Adoption of Overarching Regulation:

• Implementing an overarching regulation on climate change can enhance state capacities, drive allocation of resources, and promote ambitious climate action in India.
• Such regulation can strengthen climate governance, facilitate knowledge exchange, and foster coherence in policies and actions across states and territories.

Inter-ministerial and Inter-sectoral Approaches:

• Building on initiatives like the One Health initiative, inter-ministerial and inter-sectoral approaches can promote collaboration between various stakeholders in addressing climate change.
• Integrating a rights-based approach into core operations of the private sector, such as circular economy practices, can have transformative impacts.

Empowering Citizen Groups and Civil Society Organizations:

• Leveraging the court’s observations can empower citizen groups and civil society organisations to foster rights-based dialogues on climate action.
• These dialogues can help reconcile potential tensions between conservation efforts and renewable energy targets, ensuring holistic solutions to environmental challenges.

Cultural and Legal Recognition of Nature’s Rights:

• Initiatives like declaring ‘Mother Nature’ a ‘living being’ by the Madras High Court in Tamil Nadu reflect the cultural and legal recognition of nature’s rights.
• Utilising such judgments and observations can help restore the health of Mother Earth and safeguard future generations from the impacts of climate change.