INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
independent human rights organization the Moscow Helsinki Group, along with the environmental group Ecodefense and 18 individuals, signals
how wide-reaching the trend of climate litigation has become, even in countries with dysfunctional judicial systems.On Sept
16, 2022, Russia's Supreme Court received an unexpected appeal: 20 plaintiffs turned to the highest judicial institution in the country to
challenge the actions of President Vladimir Putin and the government concerning climate policy.In a groundbreaking move in a country where
climate change sits at the margins of public discourse, the Moscow Helsinki Group, Ecodefense and 18 individuals initiated the first-ever
bringing more intense heat waves and wildfires, extreme weather, the spread of infectious diseases and the thawing of permafrost, among
warming within 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.When the Supreme Court rejected the lawsuit in a matter of days, refusing
even to consider its merits, the plaintiffs were not surprised, having had little hope in the Russian justice system from the very
the European Convention on Human Rights in September 2022, the case remains admissible to the Strasbourg-based court as it was filed
domestically before the termination date
Additionally, it pertains to potential violations with negative effects that continue to the present."We see a very straightforward approach
embedded in any strategy adopted by the Russian government
co-chairman Vladimir Slivyak told The Moscow Times
Russian authorities continue to assert to the world that they are complying with the Paris Agreement and decreasing emissions while instead
So, the Russian climate case simply screams its obviousness," Vaypan said.The lawsuit also stands out because several plaintiffs faced
repressions from the Russian government after taking legal action domestically
Climate and political activist Arshak Makichyan was stripped of his Russian citizenship last year, while the Moscow Helsinki Group was
the main [climate] issue but also regarding the state's violation of our plaintiffs' right to file a complaint with the ECHR [by shutting
attempting to draw attention to this problem."Pavel Sulyandziga, a representative of the indigenous Udege nation and president of the Batani
International Indigenous Fund for Development and Solidarity, left Russia seven years ago due to criminal cases related to his human rights
frontlines of global warming in the Russian Arctic, indigenous peoples are already witnessing changes in their surrounding environment
These include sharp temperature fluctuations affecting their ability to safely travel across frozen waterways, or winter rains which cover
community have faced the disappearance of lakes where they used to fish," Sulyandziga told The Moscow Times
noted the emergence of previously unseen small trees in the Russian tundra, which is altering the migration patterns and traditional
September that the country plans to update its 2030 greenhouse emissions reduction goal next year
It's a cross-cutting priority that affects investment growth, enhances corporate cooperation and drives innovation," Reshetnikov said.With
authorities to comply with the ECHR's decisions
But in our view, it's essential not to conflate the current Russian government with Russia as a state, which is a party to the UN Framework
in emissions, that obligation will persist regardless of the current Russian authorities' stance."An expert in the field, who requested
anonymity for security reasons and who was not involved in the lawsuit, noted that assessing the legal consequences of the lawsuit remains
which is currently considering several climate cases, could significantly impact global climate debate and policies
