Peruvian Farmer Pursues Climate Justice Against German Energy Giant RWE

Saul Luciano Lliuya, a farmer from Peru, is suing German energy corporation RWE for climate justice, seeking 17,000 euros for flood defenses due to glacier lake risks attributed to the company’s carbon emissions. His lawsuit, which began in 2015, was revived by a Hamm court, analyzing climate impacts on his hometown. The case could redefine corporate accountability for climate damage, highlighting the struggles of communities facing climate change despite low emissions.

A Peruvian farmer, Saul Luciano Lliuya, is pursuing legal action against the German energy company RWE, demanding accountability for climate-related damage in his hometown, Huaraz. The farmer seeks 17,000 euros to help fund flood defenses against a glacier lake threatened by climate change. He argues that RWE’s carbon emissions, as one of the world’s largest polluters, contribute to the escalating risks posed by rising temperatures.

Lliuya initiated the lawsuit in 2015, which was initially dismissed by a court in Essen, Germany, in 2016. However, an appeal was permitted by the Hamm court in 2017, which is now reviewing the potential flooding risks to Lliuya’s property. Expert evidence gathered on site will be evaluated in the hearings scheduled from Monday to Wednesday.

Roda Verheyen, Lliuya’s attorney, anticipates that insights from these hearings could establish whether RWE holds a legal responsibility for the flooding threats. Lliuya’s claim is based on a study indicating that RWE is responsible for 0.47% of global carbon emissions since the start of the industrial era, justifying his demand for a proportional contribution to climate defense costs.

Christoph Bals, policy head at Germanwatch, noted that the farmers in Huaraz, facing the impacts of climate change, feel a deep injustice given their minimal contributions to the problem. RWE, which operates through diverse energy sources including gas, coal, and renewables, contends that a favorable ruling for Lliuya could set a problematic precedent under German law, implicating companies for overseas environmental damages.

The 2015 ruling stated that linking specific emissions to distinct environmental harm is unfeasible, a position that the ongoing Hamm hearings may challenge. Legal representatives for RWE acknowledge the case’s significant ramifications, despite the relatively small sum involved in the dispute.

The ongoing legal battle led by Saul Luciano Lliuya against RWE illustrates pressing global issues of climate justice, accountability, and corporate responsibility. As the case unfolds in Germany, it could have wider implications for how multinational corporations are viewed in relation to environmental damages linked to their operations. Lliuya’s pursuit for justice reflects the urgent need for action against climate change, especially for communities like Huaraz that bear its brunt despite minimal contributions to the crisis.

Original Source: www.france24.com