In 2016, the KlimaSeniorinnen – an association of over 2,000 senior Swiss women – launched a legal challenge against their government, alleging that inadequate climate policies violated their fundamental human rights. After years of dismissals in domestic courts, the group secured a landmark victory at the European Court of Human Rights in April 2024. The ruling was unprecedented, marking the first time an international court has recognized that state climate inaction constitutes a human rights violation.

In this episode of Climate Court Voices, we sit down with Elisabeth Stern, a cultural anthropologist and board member of KlimaSeniorinnen. Elisabeth shares the group's journey from grassroots organization to legal pioneers, detailing the dismissals they faced at home and the ongoing uphill battle to ensure the Swiss government turns this historic judgment into tangible climate action.

Timestamps:

(00:00) Intro

(01:10) Who is Elisabeth Stern?

(04:15) KlimaSeniorinnen v Swiss government

(06:10) Bringing their case to Europe's top human rights court

(09:33) Court finds human rights violations

(12:45) Breaking down the verdict

(14:23) Overwhelming support abroad

(15:15) Dismissal at home

(17:29) Struggle for accountability

(20:40) Outreach efforts

(23:23) A blueprint for future climate court cases

In April 2024, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Biden administration awarded $20 billion in grants to eight organizations tasked with financing thousands of clean energy and other climate projects across the country, especially in low-income and disadvantaged communities.

But that work was abruptly halted when the new Trump-appointed EPA Administrator, Lee Zeldin, froze the funds in February, claiming the program was riddled with waste and fraud.

In this episode of Climate Court Voices, we speak with Brooke Durham, Director of Communications for Climate United, one of the eight companies to be awarded the grant. She talks about the projects her organization had begun funding with the EPA grant and the ongoing uphill battle to unfreeze it.

Timestamps:

(00:00) Intro

(01:29) What is Climate United?

(02:47) Receiving the EPA grant

(03:48) The projects the grant would have helped finance

(05:05) The new Trump administration takes office

(06:10) EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announces freeze with a video on X

(09:00) Climate United reacts to the video

(09:23) Understanding Zeldin's accusations

(11:19) Climate United sues the EPA, Zeldin and Citibank

(12:32) What the freeze meant for Climate United

(15:52) Dozens of projects in limbo

(17:28) An ongoing legal battle

(21:35) What happens when the US government wants its money back?

In June 2023, 16 young people made history in the US as their lawsuit against the state of Montana became the first youth-led constitutional case to reach trial. They argued that Montana's permissive approach to approving fossil fuel projects violated their constitutional right to a clean and healthful environment.

They won. Now, some of these young activists are taking on Trump.

In this episode of Climate Court Voices, we speak with Rikki Held – lead plaintiff on the Held v Montana case and a plaintiff in a new lawsuit against the Trump administration, and Nate Bellinger – senior staff attorney at our Children's Trust, the non-profit law firm behind the two climate lawsuits.

They discuss the increasing role of youth in climate litigation battles and how the US has changed under the second Trump administration.

Timestamps:

(00:00) Intro

(01:38) Climate change in Montana

(06:16) Held v Montana

(07:57) Going to trial

(11:47) Young plaintiffs score historic win

(14:06) Appeal and second victory

(15:05) US climate policy under Trump

(18:57) Trump is bringing back coal

(19:36) Lighthiser v Trump

(22:53) Case dismissed and appeal

(24:26) Rule of law under Trump

(27:29) Role of youth in climate litigation

(29:40) Rikki's advice for young climate activists