The Last Judgment
Invert the process
The Last Judgment is coming: The catastrophic impacts of climate change and the urgency of slashing carbon emissions are being highlighted worldwide today by the global movement for climate justice. Hundreds of thousands of people have taken to the streets in strikes and other actions to demand governments act against climate breakdown.
Italy is no exception. Our emissions-reduction targets fall far short of what is needed to keep global warming under 1.5°C compared to preindustrial levels.
We need a rapid change of pace to reverse the process over the next 11 years, otherwise we risk triggering tipping points and extreme impacts of a changing climate, such as floods, heat waves and drought.
As the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has highlighted, the poor and most marginalized will be impacted the most, but we all will suffer from the social, health and environmental consequences. In Italy, climate change is expected to create exceptional warming temperatures (especially during summer), increased frequency and severity of extreme meteorological events (heat waves, drought, heavy precipitations) and water scarcity.
This is why people around the world are taking their governments to court to force action on climate change, including in the Netherlands, USA, Belgium, France, Germany and New Zealand. We have decided to do the same in Italy. We will ask the State for more ambitious and binding measures to tackle climate change and invert the trends: If citizens do not do it, no one will.
The earth is in danger
There is no time to lose. That is why we want to file a court case to ask the State for more ambitious climate actions.
Greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere are at their highest level in at least 800.000 years. In 2017, CO2 levels were 146% higher than pre-industrial levels: levels that are unprecedented for 3 million years. At that time, temperatures were 2.3°C and sea level 15 to 25 centimeters higher than today.
Global average temperatures have aready increased by more than 1°C from the pre-industrial period: if this trend continues temperatures could increase by +1.5°C by 2030 and by +4°C by the end of the century.
What are the consequences? Ice melting and sea level rise could lead to the disappearance of many areas and cities, and extreme weather like drought, heavy rains and hurricanes will worsen. Risks related to ecosystem destruction, species extinction, dangers to health, food and water insecurity will increase, and millions will be forced to migrate.
IN ITALY?
The temperature increase in Italy in the last 30 years has almost always been higher than the average global temperature increase. Scientists estimate there has been an average temperature increase in Italy of +0.36°C every 10 years for the period 1981-2017.
Droughts, in the Alps and mountain ecosystems for example, are a national emergency. Hydrogeological risk is very high, in the Po river area and the Apennines in particular, coastal areas are threatened by erosion and flood, and marine ecosystems face serious deterioration.
Such changes put at risk not only our land but also all of our communities with dramatic impacts expected on health, wellness and security.
We are going to court
What do we ask and why.
We are drowning! And what does Italy do?
Following official data from ISPRA (National Institute for Environmental Protection and Research) gas emissions, after picking in 2015, have only slightly decreased and have maintained a fairly level since then. Emissions’ projections for the years to come, even in the most optimistic scenario, show that emissions reductions fall short of scientific recommendations for keeping global average temperature rise under the critical level of 2°C and aiming for 1.5°C.
We would like the State to recognise the seriousness and specific vulnerability of our country in regard to climate change impacts and their implications for Fundamental Human Rights such as life and health. As a result, the Italian State should target more ambitious emissions reduction and follow the recommendations of the scientific community.
To support such requests, we propose a grassroots action to take the state to court and ask for climate justice, for us and for the future of those who will come after us.
Who are we?
We are a group of citizens, organisations, researchers, social movements and independent media.
We are convinced that we need to act quickly to fight climate change. There is no time to lose to save ourselves and the planet as we know it!
We believe our State is not doing enough to protect its people.
That is why we decided to go to court with a climate case asking Italy to act with more ambition to tackle climate change.
Check the campaign promoters’ list.
Support the case
HELP BUILD A HISTORIC CASE
By contributing to our crowdfunding, you can help us to build a historic case and movement for climate action in Italy! Crowdfunding is a powerful tool for supporting grassroots initiatives like The Last Judgment.
It will enable us to develop the strongest arguments possible, both during the preparation and implementation phases of the litigation.
Thanks to your contribution, we will be able to support lawyers, researchers and other climate and law experts to work on the case and build its citizens’ support.
