Climate Lawsuits

There's been lots of attempts by young people to draw attention to inadequate governmental action on climate change. One way is to sue. The routine charge is that the current government inactivity puts that young person's future health and lives at greater risk. One of the latest group of litigants is a group of young people, aged 11-24, from Portugal. They are suing 32 nations, in a Strasbourg court, after the devastating wildfires in Leiria (https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2023/09/27/court-case-over-climate-inaction-against-32-countries-opens-at-the-european-court-of-human). There's no doubt that slow government responses to climate change particularly increase the risks for future generations. The odds are, however, stacked against the litigants. Governments can (and do) employ expensive lawyers at tax-payer's expense. Even if the litigants win, rulings can often be ignored. Compensation, if paid, doesn't even come out of the decision maker's own pockets. That compensation should really be due to entire populations. The elderly are not around as long but are especially at risk in heatwaves, wildfires and flooding. The litigation could, however, at least embarass some governments (not, presumably, the UK?) to take their responsibilities a little more seriously.