Peruvian Farmer's Landmark Climate Case Against RWE Faces Critical Hearing

The German court will assess whether Saúl Luciano Lliuya's home faces significant risk from glacial flooding linked to climate change.

Saúl Luciano Lliuya, a Peruvian farmer and mountain guide, has sued RWE, one of Europe's largest CO2 emitters, over its role in climate change-related risks to his home in Huaraz, Peru.
The case, supported by the NGO Germanwatch, seeks to hold RWE accountable for 0.47% of global CO2 emissions since industrialization, demanding partial funding for local flood prevention measures.
The Oberlandesgericht Hamm in Germany will determine if Lliuya's home faces a legally significant risk of flooding due to glacial melt exacerbated by climate change.
Conflicting expert assessments have emerged, with court-appointed experts estimating a low flood risk (under 3%), while Lliuya's team argues it is significantly higher (around 30%).
A ruling in favor of Lliuya could set a global precedent for holding major polluters financially responsible for climate-related damages.