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In the case between the State and the parents of two young girls who were sick because of air pollution, the Paris administrative court ruled on June 16. It condemns the State to compensate the victims, because of the exceedances of pollution thresholds, for which the necessary measures would not have been taken. The reaction of Tony Renucci, director of the Respire association, who accompanied the family of the victims.
On June 16, the administrative court of Paris ruled in favor of the families of victims of air pollution. These were in particular two little girls, born in 2014 and 2015, whose first years of life were punctuated by repeated asthma attacks, bronchiolitis and ear infections.
Symptoms linked to pollution thresholds being exceeded
Already in February 2022, the State was recognized as being responsible for not having taken the necessary measures to avoid pollution peaks. After expertise, the administrative court of Paris made the link between the symptoms of which the girls were victims and condemned the State to compensate the families.
The amount of compensation is “symbolic” at 2000 and 3000 euros, but this decision could set a precedent. For their part, to improve the health of their children, the two families left their home near the Paris ring road for a new life in the South of France, on the advice of their doctors.
The point of view of Tony Renucci, director of the Respire association
“We, as an association, supported these families in this legal fight, without taking part in it. However, the decision rendered by the Administrative Court of Paris is good news for these families. It is a first! This decision makes the link between the management of air pollution control and its consequences on the health of children. This causal link is demonstrated and legally supported. It is not something easy to do and we now hope that this decision sets a precedent”.