Overview

• 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.