They believe that the countries are violating human rights by not doing enough to protect them from the effects of climate change.
– I never thought I would stand in front of 32 countries and sue them, says Andre Oliveira.
The background is the deadly forest fires that hit Portugal in 2017. The young people believe that the fires that have occurred every year since then are a direct result of global warming and that they are suffering the consequences.
– I want a green world without pollution, I want to feel good, says 11-year-old Mariana Duarte Agostinho in an interview.
But what it will lead to is unclear. First, the court must determine whether the case meets the criteria to be tried at all, before possibly going further and examining whether the 32 countries are in violation of the European Convention. The decision is expected to take months.