On May 28, 2025 the Higher Regional Court of Hamm delivered a landmark ruling in the climate lawsuit brought by Peruvian farmer and mountain guide Saúl Luciano Lliuya against German engery giant RWE - setting a powerful precedent that reasches far beyond his individual case.
This is the first time in history, that a high court has ruled that major greenhouse gas emitters can be held liable under civil law for the specific consequences of the climate crisis.
Although the court ultimately dismissed Saúl Luciano Lliuya's claim, its reasoning represents a significant breakthrough in climate ligitation.
For more information on the Court decison and the case, please have a look at the external page “The climate case - Saúl vs. RWE”. Please also have a look at our OnePager, where you can find all the important points of the verdict
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“Today the mountains have won. My case has shifted the global conversation about what justice means in an era of the climate crisis, and that makes me proud. This ruling shows that the big polluters driving the climate can finally be held legally responsible for the harm they have caused. I am, of course, disappointed that the court reached a different conclusion from the glacier scientists who have studied this region for decades and believe my home is at risk. We won’t receive support from RWE to protect us from the flood risk for now. But this case was never just about me. It was about all the people who, like us in Huaraz, are already living with the consequences of a crisis we did not create. This ruling opens the door for others to demand justice.”
Saúl Luciano Lliuya
Plaintiff
Short documentary
You are also welcome to watch our short documentary on the background, history and current status of the case:
