"We are very grateful. The decision gives us the strength to continue our fight. This is good news for our families," said Asmania, one of the plaintiffs from Pari Island, Seribu Islands, in a statement received in Jakarta on Tuesday.
Filed in late January 2023, the climate lawsuit by four Pari Island residents seeks compensation from Holcim for climate change impacts, funding for flood protection, and swift reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.
Pari Island, home to the fishermen, has increasingly suffered from tidal flooding in recent years due to climate change, and they allege that Holcim has played a major role in the global climate crisis through its substantial and ongoing carbon emissions.
The decision to grant the petition, announced on Monday (Dec 22), represents a temporary success for the plaintiffs and the efforts to uphold climate justice. The court rejected all of Holcim's procedural objections and declared the lawsuit fully admissible.
The court ruled that the plaintiffs were entitled to legal protection because climate change directly impacts their lives and livelihoods.
Boy Jerry Even Sembiring, National Executive Director of WALHI, stated that the ruling broadly confirms and affirms the courts' role in addressing the impacts of the climate crisis.
"The ruling, in a global context, sets a precedent for holding large corporations that contribute to the climate crisis accountable," he explained.
The Canton of Zug court rejected Holcim’s argument that climate protection issues should be resolved solely through political processes rather than judicial ones.
The panel of judges stressed that the court’s decision does not replace government climate policy but instead complements it. The case, they noted, does not concern Swiss climate policy in general, but rather the specific demands of the people of Pari Island.
The court described the plaintiffs’ interest in Holcim reducing its emissions as “urgent and relevant,” affirming their right to bring the case before the court.
It also dismissed the argument that Pari Island would sink regardless of emission reductions, emphasizing that “any effort to reduce emissions remains essential in addressing climate change.”
Furthermore, the court rejected the claim that Holcim’s emission cuts would be meaningless because other companies might increase emissions, stating that “harmful behavior cannot be justified simply because many others are doing the same thing.”
Related news: Govt ensures cessation of unauthorized land reclamation on Pari Island
Translator: Prisca Triferna Violleta, Cindy Frishanti Octavia
Editor: M Razi Rahman
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