The Supreme Court in the Netherlands on Friday ordered the government there to cut national greenhouse gas emissions by 25% by the end of 2020.
Why it matters: This is the first time the courts have ever forced a country to address climate change and could set a precedent for courts in other nations, including the United States, in the absence of other action.
What they're saying: Michael Gerrard, director of the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia University, per The New York Times said: “There have been 1,442 climate lawsuits around the world. This is the strongest decision ever. The Dutch Supreme Court upheld the first court order anywhere directing a country to slash its greenhouse gas emissions.”
One level deeper: The ruling was a success for environmental group Urgenda, "which filed the lawsuit in 2013 against the Dutch government with nearly 900 co-plaintiffs," NYT reports.
Go deeper on U.S. climate cases: Why the hottest global warming battle is in the courtroom.
