Peru Farmer’s Legal Challenge Against RWE Highlighting Climate Accountability

Peruvian farmer Saul Luciano Lliuya is suing German energy giant RWE for climate damages, seeking 17,000 euros for flood defenses in Huaraz. He expresses confidence in the German legal system as he prepares for hearings in Hamm from March 17-19. This case, supported by Germanwatch, is poised to set a significant precedent for climate justice.

In a notable legal confrontation, Peruvian farmer Saul Luciano Lliuya is poised to challenge the German energy corporation RWE over climate change-related damages. Lliuya maintains that RWE, a significant emitter of carbon dioxide, should contribute to protective measures for his hometown, Huaraz, due to risks posed by a melting glacier lake. He is set to travel to Germany for court proceedings scheduled from March 17-19 in Hamm, expressing his complete trust in the German legal system.

Lliuya is seeking approximately 17,000 euros ($18,400) from RWE to assist with the construction of flood defenses, including a necessary dike. He bases his request on a 2013 study indicating RWE’s contribution of 0.5 percent to global emissions since industrialization began. Although a previous case was dismissed in Essen in 2016, an appeal was accepted by a higher court in Hamm in 2017, enabling this current hearing to evaluate critical evidence.

In 2022, following the pandemic, German experts conducted site visits to Lake Palcacocha and its neighboring glaciers to assess the dangers posed to Huaraz. The current hearings will determine whether the gathered evidence can be admitted. This lawsuit garners support from the environmental organization Germanwatch, which emphasizes the significance of this case for climate justice, highlighting that it may establish crucial precedents for similar future lawsuits globally.

RWE asserts that it has consistently adhered to governmental regulations regarding greenhouse gas emissions and aims to achieve CO2 neutrality by 2040. The company has expressed confusion surrounding the lawsuit, indicating it does not comprehend the rationale for facing legal challenges given its compliance with environmental standards.

Saul Luciano Lliuya’s case against RWE signifies a pivotal moment in the pursuit of corporate accountability for climate change damages. With the proceedings in Hamm, the implications of this trial could influence future climate justice cases globally. The outcome may set a precedent for how similar claims can be addressed, potentially reshaping the responsibilities of major corporations in relation to environmental protection.

Original Source: www.rfi.fr