Urgenda Climate Case: A call to action

This is the first case in Europe where citizens hold the state responsible for inaction, but it’s also the first time in history that human rights are part of legal proceedings against climate change. As part of the lawsuit, Urgenda requested the court to “declare that global warming of more than 2 degrees celsuis will lead to a violation of fundamental human rights worldwide.”

The foundation cites the report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change to highlight the urgency of the matter: “Governments, including the Dutch state, are taking small steps, but these continue to fall short of what is necessary. If emissions are not drastically reduced before 2020, the second half of the 21st century will be one of danger, extreme weather events, quickly diminishing ice caps, and shortage of water and food, which in turn can cause social unrest and violence. All this can be prevented if the right actions are taken.”

The case has set a precedent for people worldwide to question whether governments and organisations are actually doing enough. In Belgium, a similar case called Klimatezaak has been set up and 8,511 have already signed up to be a part of it.

“People are beginning to understand that something as important as the environment can’t be left to governments alone. With Urgenda, it’s great that people got up together and made a difference. Change has to be bottom-up now and we hope that this is the start of an important trend,” said Elisabeth Insam, project commissioner, Delft Energy Club.

“It’s now more important than ever that people get involved in this discussion. Organise more events, student projects, symposiums, disseminate information about what’s happening to the environment and how we can change things. To wait for governments to take action is not enough anymore,” she added.

While the Energy Club’s primary focus is on sustainability energy, they have been planning to host a master class in November on the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference. Being held in Paris from November 30 to December 11, 2015, the aim is to achieve a historic universal agreement on climate from all the nations in the world.

Meanwhile, they have a number of other events lined up to get people talking about renewable energy and sustainable solutions for the long term. Their upcoming events include a masterclass in May and an Energy Festival in June. At a symposium in September, Petroleum Engineers and Renewable Energy Engineers will defend their stands. “The classes and events are open to everyone for free. It’s very important to reach out and get people involved in the discussion. The matter is urgent and for students at TU Delft, it’s important to understand what they can do as individuals and as engineers to help sustain the environment,” said Insam.