South Korea's Constitutional Court has begun hearing a case that accuses the government of failing to protect 200 people by not dealing with climate change. The case, which began Tuesday in Seoul, includes many young environmental activists and children. The people bringing the legal action, or the plaintiffs, said the case was Asia's first climate-related case. It includes four petitions by children and babies among others dating from 2020. There is also a petition from a fetus at the time the case was brought to court, nicknamed “Woodpecker.” Lee Jongseok said climate lawsuits are getting popular around the world and are gaining public interest. Lee is the president of the court, which is one of the highest in South Korea. The court recognizes the importance and public interest of this case and will make efforts to ensure that deliberations are conducted thoroughly, he said. Earlier this month, Europe's human rights court ruled on another climate-related case. The court found the Swiss government had violated its citizens' rights by not doing enough to combat climate change. Courts in Australia, Brazil and Peru are also hearing similar cases.
