Climate Litigation Strategy, alcuni apparenti insuccessi e il talento della Corte EDU: quando una dichiarazione di inammissibilità vale una pronuncia di accoglimento

Climate Litigation Strategy, some apparent debacles and the talented ECtHR: when ‘inadmissible’ equals ‘acceptance’

Abstract

The paper examines two recent rulings by the European Court of Human Rights in the so-called “Carême” and “Duarte” cases. Despite their dismissal by the court, the contribution aims to highlight the strategic importance of these declarations of inadmissibility for climate change litigation strategies. Under a functional perspective and through a broader spectrum, the ECtHR inadmissibility decisions provide a starting point for the development of innovative case-law related to environmental and climate issues. In spite of some “mixed signals”, the analysis of these (alleged) failures –– along with their ‘unspoken acknowledgments’ –– might prove crucial, considering the affirmation of the causal link between potential damage suffered and the effects of climate change adaptation.

Keywords: Comparative public law; Climate change litigation strategy; European court of human rights; Extraterritorial jurisdiction