The applicants were a group that advocates for improvement of Hong Kong’s air quality. They alleged that the Hong Kong government did not enact adequate legislation or effective policy to combat air pollution and that this failure was a breach of the government’s legal duty to ensure the right to life and the right to …Read more

The four applicants alleged that pollution levels near their homes violated their right to respect for their private and family life under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights (“Convention”). All the applicants lived within a “sanitary security zone” around a local steel plant and were exposed to concentrations of dangerous substances above …Read more

This case was originally brought before the First Chamber of the Contentious Administrative Tribunal by a group of organizations of the Amazon Basin in Ecuador who were challenging the fact that Colombia was fumigating with glyphosate (within their plan to eradicate coca) within a 10-km strip from the border of Colombia and Ecuador. The organizations …Read more

The applicant was a Russian national who lived in Cherepovets, a major steel-producing centre. The Severstal steel plant was built in Soviet times and owned originally by the Ministry of Black Metallurgy of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (RSFSR). In her application against the Russian Federation under Article 34 of the Convention for the …Read more

Ten Turkish nationals filed suit against the Republic of Turkey alleging violation of their right to a fair hearing under the Article 6 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (the “Convention”). Plaintiffs alleged administrative authorities had failed to enforce court orders to shut down three thermal power plants in …Read more

Residents of Ilo, Peru and representatives of deceased Ilo residents brought personal injury claims under the Alien Tort Claims Act (“ATCA”) against Southern Peru Copper Corporation (“SPCC”). SPCC was majority-owned by Asarco, a Delaware corporation with its principal place of business in Peru. Asarco was a wholly-owned subsidiary of Grupo Mexico, S.A. de C.V., a …Read more

A petition was filed by the Smoke Affected Residents’ Forum seeking appropriate directions from the Court for measures to control and reduce auto emissions from vehicles plying in Mumbai. These were with respect to the consumption of unleaded petrol, reduction of sulphur content in diesel oil, issuance of ‘Pollution Under Control’ certificates and ensuring that …Read more

Applicant Joseph Eryau made a motion to be heard in opposition to Application No. 39/2001. The declarations being sought in the motion of Application No. 39/2001 would state that “smoking in a public place constitutes a violation of the rights of the non-smoking members of the public to a clean and healthy environment as prescribed …Read more

Applicant Joseph Eryau made a motion to be heard in opposition to Application No. 39/2001. Of the five declarations proposed in the motion of Application No. 39/2001, all but two were struck down (including those orders which criminalized smoking in public places). The remaining two proposed that “smoking in a public place constitutes a violation …Read more

Electroquimica Pesada S.A. (the “Company”), was operating with outdated equipment and was releasing emissions of chlorine and other noxious gases into the environment that posed harm to both its employees as well as the residents of Nicaragua.  The Company was required to shut down its operations by a series of orders issued by the Minister …Read more