On 27 May 2026, the President of the Court, Mattias Guyomar, took part in the 45^th Mercredis du Conseil de l’Europe organised by the Council of Europe in partnership with the European Collectivity of Alsace, giving a talk on the theme of Climate justice: when citizens refer cases to the European Court of Human Rights.

The President explained how, faced with the challenges posed by climate change, the Court was now being called upon to rule on novel issues relating to State liability and the protection of present and future generations. He highlighted the three major rulings delivered by the Court in 2024: Duarte Agostinho and Others v. Portugal and 32 others, Carême v. France and Verein KlimaSeniorinnen Schweiz and Others v. Switzerland, emphasising that these cases had enabled the Grand Chamber to develop its case-law in a context marked by climate change, with important implications for the future of climate litigation in Europe.

The conference was also the occasion for an exchange with two academics whose research sheds light on the human, social and environmental aspects of climate change: Frédérique Berrod, President of the University of Strasbourg, and Dimitri Heintz, Environmental Health Specialist, CNRS-University of Strasbourg.

The Mercredis du Conseil de l'Europe are held once a month in order to raise awareness about the Council of Europe’s work and role, and to promote dialogue with the public.