HAMM, Germany, May 28, 2025 — The Higher Regional Court of Hamm today delivered a landmark climate ruling which sets a historic precedent opening the path to hold fossil fuel polluters accountable globally for climate-related harms, according to the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL).
Commenting on the ruling, CIEL Senior Attorney, Sébastien Duyck, issued the following statement:
“Today’s Saúl Luciano Lliuya v. RWE judgment shatters the wall of impunity for major polluters. For the first time, a European court has affirmed that climate victims can pursue justice—and polluters can be held legally accountable. This precedent provides a legal spark to accelerate the pursuit of climate justice. The recognition that a company can, in principle, be held accountable in court for climate harms halfway across the planet will buttress the arguments presented in dozens of pending cases as well as embolden impacted communities to seek justice through the courts.”
Media Contact:
Niccolò Sarno, Media relations Specialist, Center for International Environmental Law, [email protected] | +41 22 506 80 37
About the case:
In 2015, Saúl Luciano Lliuya, a Peruvian farmer and mountain guide, claimed that the largest electricity producer in Germany, RWE, by knowingly contributing to climate change, is in part responsible for the glacier melt and related flood risk near his home in Huaraz, potentially leading to massive destruction and loss of life. Based on RWE’s contribution to global emissions of greenhouse gases (0.38 percent at the time), the case sought compensation for that share of the incurred costs of flood protection measures (i.e., € 17,000), which can be considered adaptation measures.
The climate lawsuit has already made legal history: In 2017, the Higher Regional Court decided that the case was admissible, thereby recognizing that a corporation could be held liable for climate-related damage.
Visit the Saúl vs RWE minisite for more information, press photos, videos, graphics, and background reports on the RWE case.