The climate case
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
Current status of the lawsuit
One year after the court visit to Huaraz, the experts' report on the flood risk is now available. The parties to the lawsuit will now analyse it and have the possibility to submit written statements. The Higher Regional Court of Hamm will then set a date for a hearing.
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“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.
News
8 Years climate case against RWE
Eight years ago, the Peruvian mountain guide and small farmer Saúl Luciano Lliuya filed his civil lawsuit against RWE at the regional court in Essen in Germany. What began back then has now become one of the world's most recognised precedents for the question of whether individual major emitters must pay for protection against climate risks.
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The long-awaited expert opinion is now available
More than a year after the court visit to the Andean city of Huaraz, the expert report on the flood risk and the impact on the property of the plaintiff Saúl Luciano Lliuya has finally been released. A court-appointed expert prepared the comprehensive document, spanning more than 200 pages, which forms the basis for the next steps in the climate lawsuit of the Peruvian mountain guide against the energy company RWE.
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Climate litigation as a significant risk for fossil fuel companies
New scientific study shows that climate lawsuits lead to a significant loss in value for companies with CO2-intensive business models. Researchers show: RWE share fell up to 6 percent due to Saúl Luciano Lliuya's lawsuit at Hamm Higher Regional Court.
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Saúl Luciano Lliuya against RWE: expert opinion expected in summer
One year after the court visit to Huaraz, the expert report will finally be available this summer. A hearing at the Higher Regional Court of Hamm is expected later this year.
read moreVoices on the case
Ing. César A. Portocarrero RodríguezThe lawsuit is fair
"The lawsuit is only fair considering that people in developing countries are suffering the severe consequences of the rampant development drive of the so-called developed countries".
David DresenEs geht um unsere gemeinsame Umwelt!
"I am very grateful for Saúl's commitment and I sincerely hope that he wins. This case shows that we are all globally connected because it is our shared environment and livelihood that is at stake."
Prof. Dr. Mojib LatifGroundbreaking model lawsuit
"The test case shows where the journey is going. Anyone who pollutes the environment excessively will be called to account. Only sustainable business models will be profitable in the future."
Luisa NeubauerOur solidarity knows no boundaries
"I support Saúl and his complaint. In a world where emissions cross all borders, our solidarity and collective action must be able to do the same. That is why we are fighting for this together."
Dr. Roda VerheyenA historical case
"This case is already historic from a legal perspective. No other comparable climate lawsuit in the world has reached such an advanced stage in the process. No other court in the world has recognised that large emitters can be fundamentally responsible for the consequences of climate change."
Prof. Dr. Christian HuggelA case with signal effect
"The case is rightly described internationally as a milestone in the climate debate in general and climate litigation in particular. In addition to being a signal effect to the fossil fuel industry, the case accelerates the complex and multidimensional debate about how we deal with the responsibility of climate change impacts, from local to global levels. And how we in science can best contribute to it."
Network
An alliance of organisations from Germany and Peru accompany and support the plaintiff, raise awareness about climate change and support those affected by the climate crisis in Peru.