An Italian appeals court is set to rule this month on Giudizio Universale, the first climate lawsuit brought against the Italian state. The claimants, including environmental group A Sud and over 200 other organizations and individuals, argue that Italy's climate inaction violates fundamental rights and the goals of the Paris Agreement. They initially asked the court to order emissions cuts of 92 percent by 2030 against 1990 levels. The case was dismissed in 2024 on jurisdictional grounds, but the appeal leans on a 2024 European Court of Human Rights ruling in a Swiss case that linked climate protection to human rights. A Sud also points to Italy's constitutional reform on environmental protection and a separate Supreme Court decision that rejected the idea that judges cannot rule on climate lawsuits. A ruling in favor of the claimants would make Italy one of the first EU countries ordered by a court to strengthen its climate policies. It would also add to a growing body of government framework cases, most of which have ended in outcomes favorable to climate action.
