South Korea's Climate Law Ruled to Violate Future Generations' Rights

South Korea’s Constitutional Court has ruled that parts of its climate law fail to protect future generations, marking Asia’s first significant climate litigation ruling. The court found the law deficient in setting long-term greenhouse gas reduction targets for the period 2031-49, which it deemed a violation of future generations’ rights and an undue burden on them. The government is now required to amend the law by February 2026 to include these targets.

The legal battle commenced in 2020 when Youth 4 Climate Action, part of the global school climate strike movement, filed a lawsuit against the government for its inadequate targets. The lawsuit eventually grew to include 255 plaintiffs of various ages, including even a fetus.

The court upheld the government’s 2030 target of a 40% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from 2018 levels, considering it adequate.

While the plaintiffs expressed mixed feelings about the ruling, they acknowledged its progressive stance in addressing the climate crisis. This decision is anticipated to influence climate litigation and policy in other Asian countries such as Japan and Taiwan.