Climate lawsuit before the Federal Constitutional Court: BUND and SFV are calling for more protection

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Climate activists from the federal government and SFV submit a new constitutional complaint against the federal government. The goal is a binding climate protection that fulfills the constitutional obligations. The lawsuit demands more ambitious action to protect future generations and emphasizes that climate protection is a human right. Learn more about the background and the plaintiffs.
Climate activists from the federal government and SFV submit a new constitutional complaint against the federal government. The goal is a binding climate protection that fulfills the constitutional obligations. The lawsuit demands more ambitious action to protect future generations and emphasizes that climate protection is a human right. Learn more about the background and the plaintiffs. (Symbolbild/MB)

climate protection as a fundamental human right - a call for responsibility

The current developments in the field of climate policy in Germany raise urgent questions: What happens if the political measures do not match the necessary scientific knowledge? The Federal Constitutional Court is once again faced with a significant lawsuit that not only affects the future of climate protection in Germany, but could also initiate a discussion about the rights of future generations. This is led by environmental associations and committed citizens: inside who challenge the federal government to take their responsibility for climate protection seriously.

The BUND for the Environment and Nature Conservation Germany (BUND) and the Solar energy support association Germany (SFV), together with four private plaintiffs, submitted a constitutional complaint to the Federal Constitutional Court (BVerfG) together with four private plaintiffs: inside-including an engineer, a student, a student and a doctor. This is done in the context of the impending consequences of climate change, which was visible in 2021 and also in the current time through extreme weather events such as heat waves and floods.

The relevance of the lawsuit

This lawsuit is particularly important because it indicates the discrepancy between the political decisions and the alarming scientific knowledge. The plaintiffs: Inside, who are affected on a personal level, express their concerns about the health and quality of life of the future generations. Susanne Jung, the managing director of the SFV, sees the Federal Government as a duty: "We can no longer afford excuses and political unwillingness."

Who is behind the lawsuit?

The constitutional complaint is made by experts like Dr. Franziska Heß and Prof. Dr. Dr. Felix Ekardt accompanied, who had successfully drawn up a similar lawsuit in 2018. This legal step aims to demand a higher level of climate protection measures. The plaintiffs agree: In their opinion, the political decisions of the Federal Government violate fundamental rights and freedoms because they endanger the requirements for future generations.

personal stories behind the lawsuit

  • Kerstin Lopau , 33 years, engineer: "I am working on sustainable solutions, but without political support, these efforts are only drops on the hot stone."
  • Karola Knuth , 23 years, student: "It is the responsibility of the government to protect the freedoms of our generation. Every talent dose CO2 is too much."
  • André Wendel , 54 years, bus driver: "We have to act now to secure mobility and prosperity without endangering the climate."
  • Dr. Mareike Bernhard , 35 years, assistant doctor: "The health consequences of inactivity are serious and visible - we have to change our actions."

The lawsuit also establishes a reference to a judgment of the European Court of Human Rights and questions the existing association law, which could find additional support due to the changed circumstances.

FAZIT

The lawsuit before the Federal Constitutional Court is a significant step towards more climate justice and more intensive climate protection in Germany. The initiators not only bring their individual experiences and fears, but also hope that the legal framework for future measures will be defined more clearly. This lawsuit could serve as a trend -setting example in order to focus more on the responsibility of political decision -makers and to raise awareness of the problems of climate change that affect all people - present and in the future.

Further information on the lawsuit including legal explanations are available via the official channels of the environmental associations involved.