In Finland, NGOs sue government for climate inaction

Environmental and human rights groups announced on Thursday (August 22) that they are suing the Finnish government for violating its national climate law by failing to take adequate measures to meet its climate targets. Finland has set itself some of the strongest climate targets of any industrialized nation for 2022, “committing to becoming climate neutral by 2035 and achieving net negative emissions thereafter”write these six organizations in a press release.

In their complaint filed with the Supreme Administrative Court of Finland, they claim that the right-wing government led by Prime Minister Petteri Orpo is violating the country’s climate law by “lack of adequate climate action”These NGOs have developed their action based on a recent decision by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), which found that Switzerland had violated the rights of a group of elderly women by acting insufficiently to combat global warming.

“Government inaction on climate change jeopardizes the realization of many human rights, such as the right to life and health and the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment,” said Elina Mikola, climate and environment advisor at Amnesty Finland. The complaint was filed on 2 August by the Finnish Nature Conservation Association, Greenpeace Nordic, Amnesty International Finland, Grandparents for Climate, Finnish Nature League and Finnish Sami Youth.