Peruvian farmer Saul Luciano Lliuya is suing German energy company RWE for climate-related damages affecting his hometown of Huaraz. He is requesting RWE pay 17,000 euros for flood defenses due to a glacier lake threat. This case may set a precedent for climate justice globally, with hearings scheduled in March.
Saul Luciano Lliuya, a Peruvian farmer, is engaged in a significant lawsuit against the German energy company RWE, concerning climate change impacts on his hometown of Huaraz. He expressed confidence in the German legal system and is scheduled to travel for court hearings from March 17 to 19 in Hamm, Germany. Lliuya is seeking approximately 17,000 euros to help build flood defenses necessary due to a swollen glacier lake, which he claims is influenced by RWE’s carbon emissions, responsible for 0.5 percent of global emissions since industrialization.
Lliuya initially filed the lawsuit in 2015; however, it was dismissed the following year by a court in Essen. In 2017, a higher court in Hamm allowed for an appeal. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, legal experts visited Huaraz in 2022 to evaluate the threat posed by the glacier’s condition. The upcoming hearings will determine whether the collected evidence can be admitted in court.
The case is being supported by Germanwatch, an environmental NGO. Their lawyer, Andrea Tang, noted the unprecedented nature of reaching this evidentiary stage in a climate justice case, emphasizing its potential to set a significant precedent in similar future civil cases globally. RWE, maintaining compliance with emissions regulations in its operations, stated its commitment to achieving CO2 neutrality by 2040 and questioned the rationale behind its legal targeting.
Saul Luciano Lliuya’s legal battle against RWE highlights critical issues surrounding corporate accountability in climate change impacts. Scheduled hearings will examine evidence regarding RWE’s contributions to global emissions and their responsibility towards Huaraz’s environmental protection. The outcome of this case could potentially set a groundbreaking legal precedent for climate justice.
Original Source: www.rfi.fr
