Landmark Climate Case Against RWE Awaits April Verdict

Peruvian farmer Saúl Luciano Lliuya seeks accountability from RWE for climate risks, but court-appointed experts downplay the threat to his property.

The Oberlandesgericht Hamm has concluded hearings in a climate lawsuit filed by Saúl Luciano Lliuya against energy giant RWE, with a decision expected on April 14, 2025.
Lliuya claims RWE's greenhouse gas emissions contributed to the melting of the Palcacocha glacier, increasing flood risks to his home in Huaraz, Peru.
Court-appointed experts estimate the flood risk at 1%, while Lliuya's experts argue it is as high as 30%, citing climate change and permafrost melting.
Presiding Judge Rolf Meyer expressed skepticism about the immediacy of the threat, stating the danger to Lliuya's property seems abstract rather than concrete.
The case could set a global precedent for corporate accountability in climate-related damages, drawing significant attention from environmental activists and legal analysts.