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Berset discusses ECHR climate ruling implementation at Davos

Photo of two men shaking hands with flags of Council of Europe and Switzerland in the background
Keystone / Laurent Gillieron

The Council of Europe’s Secretary General, Alain Berset, discussed how Switzerland is implementing the recent climate ruling during a meeting with Justice Minister Beat Jans in Davos.

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Last year’s decision of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) is now in the political implementation stage.

Switzerland has submitted a report on the court’s ruling in Strasbourg, Berset told the Keystone-SDA news agency at the World Economic Forum (WEF) on Tuesday.

+ECHR ruling: research group highlights Swiss climate shortcomingsExternal link

The Committee of Ministers, made up of the 46 member states of the Strasbourg-based Council of Europe, is now reviewing the report.

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ECHR calls for greater climate commitment from Switzerland

The ruling allows for political debate to take place. The ECHR didn’t specify the final outcome but urged Switzerland to show greater commitment to climate issues. There has also been progress in Switzerland since the ruling. “Everything is moving, and that’s a good thing,” said Berset.

Last April, the ECHR backed a complaint by the “Senior Women for Climate Protection” association. They sued in Strasbourg, arguing that Switzerland wasn’t doing enough to protect older women from climate change. The ruling grabbed international headlines.

Berset said he would stay in Davos until Thursday morning, aiming to make as many contacts as possible. He wants to promote the values of the Council of Europe: democracy, rule of law and human rights.

Translated from German with DeepL/sp

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