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Elderly Swiss women rally in Bern for climate protest

Climate seniors unveil stone on the Bundesplatz
Climate seniors unveil stone on the Bundesplatz Keystone-SDA

Climate activists have stepped up their calls for stronger action against global warming with a demonstration in Bern. On Wednesday, they revealed a 2.5-tonne "stone of offence".

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About 400 people joined the rally, according to a Keystone-SDA news agency reporter on the ground. The event marked the first anniversary of Switzerland’s condemnation by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).

+ Landmark ruling: Switzerland’s climate policy violates human rights

The stone came from Strasbourg, where the court is located, as the organisation known as KlimaSeniorinnenExternal link had previously announced. The event was backed by Greenpeace and Doctors for the Environment, among others. Officials from Bern and Strasbourg were also present.

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In April 2024, the Strasbourg judges ruled that Switzerland had not met its human rights obligations concerning climate protection. The country was found to be insufficiently protecting its citizens from the impacts of global warming.

The Swiss government and parliament later said that Switzerland already meets the ruling’s requirements with the new CO2 Act and other measures. However, several speakers in Bern on Wednesday disagreed with this assessment.

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Translated from German with DeepL/sp

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