The climate case
Court decision
Groundbreaking climate ruling against RWE: Major emitters can be held liable for climate risks
The Higher Regional Court of Hamm made legal history. In the ruling on the civil case brought by Peruvian mountain guide Saúl Luciano Lliuya against German energy giant RWE, the judges confirmed that major emitters can be held liable under German civil law for the consequences of climate change.

Saúl Luciano Lliuya vs. RWE
Saúl Luciano Lliuya - an Andean farmer and mountain guide from Peru - and with him more than 50,000 inhabitants of the Andean city of Huaraz are acutely threatened by a flood wave due to the consequences of global warming. A glacial lake above the city has grown threateningly due to glacial melt. An ice avalanche could cause the lake to overflow and trigger a destructive tidal wave.
Saúl Luciano Lliuya decided to take initiative. On November 24, 2015, he filed a lawsuit against the energy company RWE in a German civil court. As one of the largest CO2 emitters in Europe, RWE is partly responsible for the climate crisis and the threat posed by the flood wave in Huaraz.
Saúl Luciano Lliuya is concerned about the urgently needed protection for himself, his family as well as the people in Huaraz, who have contributed little or nothing to the climate crisis.
The major polluters of climate change must finally face up to their responsibilities.
Saúl Luciano Lliuya
“A man who takes responsibility”

Climate change plaintiff Saúl Luciano Lliuya at a demonstration.
Luciano Lliuya’s lawsuit has had a signal effect like no other climate lawsuit, as it is the world’s only such case involving corporate liability for climate risks to make it to an evidentiary hearing, thus already making legal history.
Luciano Lliuya is not a lone fighter. He represents a growing number of people who, faced with inadequate political and corporate responses to the climate crisis, are increasingly turning to the world’s courts and demanding climate justice. Their lawsuits give a voice to those whom climate impacts particularly affect, even though these people have contributed little to not at all to the climate problem.
- Help the plaintiff and the people of Huaraz reduce the risk of destructive flooding.
- Hold polluters like RWE accountable and encourage them to adopt less-damaging business models.
- Bring about national and international political solutions to protect the people most affected by climate change.
In addition to the lawsuit, an important goal of Luciano Lliuya is to raise awareness about climate change. The dramatic extent of glacial melt is visible to everyone in his region, but some lack knowledge about the scientific connection. Adapting to climate change is a challenge for many people, especially in the agricultural sector. To address these issues, Saúl Luciano Lliuya is working with the local NGO Wayintsik-Perú, which in Quechua means "Our home", together with the people who accompany him in his struggle. This NGO carries out projects to raise awareness about climate change and supports local communities in adaptation processes.
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The most important aspects of the decision
On May 28, 2025, the Hamm Higher Regional Court (OLG) issued a historic ruling in Saúl Luciano Lliuya's climate lawsuit that goes far beyond the individual case.
read moreGroundbreaking climate ruling against RWE: Major emitters can be held liable for climate risks
Saúl Luciano Lliuya v. RWE: Judges at the Higher Regional Court of Hamm have ruled that German civil law can be used to hold major emitters liable for the effects of climate change — a decision that extends protection to those impacted worldwide.
read moreOnline Event: A Legal Milestone in Climate Litigation: The Saúl vs. RWE Decision
After a decade of legal proceedings, a landmark decision has been made. On May 28, the Higher Regional Court of Hamm delivered its ruling in the case of Saúl vs. RWE— a decision that reshapes corporate accountability in the face of the climate crisis. Watch the recording of our online event which took place just hours after the court delivered its decision. Together with Saúl Luciano Lliuya, his lawyer Roda Verheyen and colleagues from Germanwatch we analyse the precedent setting judgement.
read moreGerman court on the brink of holding major emitters liable for climate damages
The Higher Regional Court of Hamm has concluded hearings in landmark climate case of the Peruvian farmer Saúl Luciano Lliuya’s case against German energy company RWE, with a decision expected on May 28th.
read more