Sweden’s Supreme Court has dismissed a class-action lawsuit led by Greta Thunberg and hundreds of activists, which sought to compel the state to implement more stringent climate measures.
The activists argued that Sweden’s current policies violate the European Convention on Human Rights by inadequately addressing climate change.
The court concluded it could not mandate specific actions by the parliament or government, emphasizing that such decisions fall within the purview of democratic institutions. Justice Jonas Malmberg stated, “A court cannot decide that parliament or the government should take any specific action without the democratic bodies deciding independently on those issues.”
Despite the dismissal, the court acknowledged that a differently framed lawsuit might be considered in the future. The Aurora group, comprising 300 plaintiffs, expressed their intent to explore further legal avenues.
Ida Edling, Aurora’s legal and scientific coordinator, said, “We will continue to desperately try to prevent planetary collapses and get Sweden to do their legal duty to respect human rights and stop making the planetary crisis worse.”
This ruling follows a precedent set by the European Court of Human Rights, which in 2024 determined that Switzerland’s insufficient climate actions violated human rights.
The Swedish court’s decision underscores the ongoing legal challenges in holding governments accountable for climate policies.
