Summary:
On 2 February 2026, the Czech NGO Klimatická žaloba ČR submitted an application to the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) alleging violations of Articles 8, 6 and 13 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) by the Czech government in light of its climate mitigation policy. The application follows up on domestic proceedings in the Klimatická žaloba ČR, z.s. and Others v. Ministry of the Environment, Ministry of Industry and Trade, Ministry of Agriculture, and Ministry of Transport, Czech Republic case, which was dismissed by the Czech Constitutional Court in 2025, and draws on the ECtHR’s earlier KlimaSeniorinnen judgment.
The applicants argue that Czechia has failed to create a fair 1.5°C national carbon budget, has not adopted a net zero commitment, and has not established binding climate mitigation targets or measures or interim targets to that effect. They accordingly allege violations of Article 8 ECHR, the right to respect for private and family life, as well as the right to a fair trial (Article 6 ECHR) and the right to an effective remedy (Article 13 ECHR), alleging the absence of effective judicial review.
The contested domestic legal framework:
In their application, the applicants argue that the current legal framework, as enshrine din the 2017 Climate Protection Policy:
“[E]nvisages reducing emissions to approximately 102.3 Mt CO₂eq by 2030 (a 48% reduction compared to 1990) and even 39 Mt CO₂eq by 2050. An evaluation carried out by the Ministry of the Environment in 2021 concluded that these targets are insufficient and do not even correspond to the EU’s climate targets at that time.
The draft update to the Czech Republic’s Climate Protection Policy, submitted to the government on July 17, 2024, was not adopted. In its Resolution No. 960 of December 18, 2024, the government even revoked the Minister of the Environment’s mandate to submit this update. In October 2025, the update was approved only as a non-binding departmental strategy of the Ministry of the Environment. Even this departmental strategy does not contain a commitment to achieve climate neutrality, only an ambition to “move towards” climate neutrality, which is also conditional on favorable socio-economic developments. The departmental strategy does not contain a target for 2040 and sets a target of reducing emissions by only 55% by 2030, although the underlying modeling showed the possibility of a reduction of up to 68%. The Czech Republic does not have climate targets enshrined in law – the current Climate Protection Policy (2017) is only a government resolution without legal binding force. The Czech Republic does not have a framework climate law, has not set a binding national carbon budget, has not set interim emission reduction targets, nor has it set a target year for achieving climate neutrality.” (translation from the original Czech by ClimateRightsDatabase).
The application to the ECtHR, as shared by the applicants, is available for download below.
Suggested citation:
ECtHR, Klimatická žaloba ČR et al. v. Czechia, application submitted on 2 February 2026 (not yet communicated).
Last updated:
12 March 2026.