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South Asia

  • 29/09/2005

Landmark judgement: For the first time, a UScourt has recognised the potentially disastrous effects of climate change. The California court recently permitted environmental groups Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth and the US cities of Boulder, Colorado, Oakland, Santa Monica and Arcata to sue the Overseas Private Investment Corp and the Export-Import Bank of the United States, two federal government agencies, for aiding climate change. The plaintiffs claim that eight per cent of the world's greenhouse gases come from projects supported by these two agencies and the global warming they cause impacts US communities adversely. They also argue that because of this reason, USA's National Environmental Policy Act, necessitating environmental assessments of proposed development projects in the country, should apply to US-backed overseas projects too.

"This is really the first time a US court has given a plaintiff the right to go to court solely on the global warming issue

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