South Korean court hears children's climate change case

STORY: South Korea's Constitutional Court began hearing a case on Tuesday (April 23) brought by young environmental activists and children against the government.

The plaintiffs accuse the government of failing to protect 200 people by not tackling climate change.

They say the proceeding is Asia's first such climate-related litigation.

It includes four petitions by children and infants among others dating from 2020.

One is from a fetus at the time, nicknamed Woodpecker.

Dozens of young people, including Woodpecker, who is now a year old, gathered outside the court.

Lee Donghyun is Woodpecker's mother.

"Carbon emission reduction keeps getting pushed back as if it is a homework that can be done later. But that burden will be our children to bear eventually."

Kim Hannah is an 8-year-old plaintiff in the case.

"It's too hot, and then too many bees are disappearing, and birds too."

Lawyers for the government told the court the authorities were doing everything possible to cut carbon emissions and not violate the basic rights of its people.

They added that the government did not discriminate against young people, and there could be adjustments to annual goals on carbon reduction.

Last year, South Korea revised down its 2030 targets for greenhouse gas reductions in the industrial sector.

Though it kept its national goal of cutting emissions by 40% of 2018 levels, describing the move as a reasonable change.

Several activists said the government's response was unsatisfactory.

Tuesday's hearing comes weeks after Europe's top human rights court ruled that the Swiss government had violated its citizens' rights by not doing enough to combat climate change.

Courts in Australia, Brazil and Peru are weighing similar cases.