A Peruvian farmer has lost his lawsuit against German energy giant RWE over claims of climate change-related flooding. Saúl Luciano Lliuya sued the company, which is one of Europe’s largest emitters of greenhouse gases, arguing that its emissions contributed to melting glaciers in Peru and swelling a glacial lake near his home.
Lliuya claimed the lake posed a risk to his city and 50,000 others in the area, but a court in Germany ruled that the probability of the lake bursting its banks was too low for RWE to be held liable. The court also barred Lliuya from appealing the verdict.
RWE has shifted focus towards renewable energy and aims to become carbon neutral by 2040. However, it still relies on coal for over a century. Environmental group Germanwatch had argued that climate change poses an existential threat, citing Lake Palcacocha’s swollen volume as evidence.
The court found the probability of the lake overflowing catastrophically within the next 30 years was just over 1%. The company had argued that climate-related claims should be resolved by governments, not courts. RWE stated that a win against them would have had significant consequences for Germany’s industrial sector.
This case is part of a growing wave of climate litigation against big industry and governments worldwide. Germanwatch continues to claim victory, arguing the court ruled on specific risks rather than broader principles.
Source: https://www.npr.org/2025/05/28/nx-s1-5414369/peruvian-farmer-loses-landmark-climate-case-against-german-energy-giant