Indonesia

Aceh Tamiang, Indonesia – Rahmadani and her nine-year-old son Dimas lost their home when catastrophic flooding ravaged their rented residence in Aceh Tamiang, located in Indonesia’s eastern Aceh province.

Initially seeking refuge on a roadside immediately following the disaster, they relocated to a tent just metres from their ruined house three weeks later.

The devastating floods in December killed at least 1,170 people across North Sumatra, West Sumatra, and Aceh provinces. Weeks after the disaster, numerous displaced victims continue to shelter in temporary tents.

Aceh province suffered the most severe impact, with Aceh Tamiang among the regions hit hardest.

For Rahmadani, her son’s health remains her primary concern. Dimas, who sustained an injury as an infant, is unable to walk or speak.

“Before the floods, we always took him to the doctor, and he was well cared for, so he was healthy. After the floods, we could not go to see a doctor. Even if there is assistance, it is just food aid,” she said.

“His head is swollen, so he needs to take medication and vitamins. The medication isn’t expensive, but now we don’t have any money. My child is in pain, but I can only put him in a sling while I try to earn some money.”

Four residents of Pari, a low-lying Indonesian island, filed the complaint in January 2023.

A Swiss court has agreed to hear a legal complaint against cement giant Holcim, accusing the company of failing to do enough to cut carbon emissions.

NGO Swiss Church Aid (HEKS/EPER), which is supporting the complainants, said on Monday that the court had decided to admit the legal complaint. Holcim confirmed the decision and said it plans to appeal.

The complaint was filed in January 2023 by four residents of Pari, a low-lying Indonesian island that has suffered repeated flooding as rising global temperatures drive up sea levels. The case was submitted to a court in Zug, Switzerland, where Holcim has its headquarters.

According to HEKS, this is the first time a Swiss court has admitted climate litigation brought against a big corporation.

If successful, it would also be the first case seeking to hold a Swiss company legally responsible for its contribution to global warming, the group has previously said.

The lawsuit is also among the first climate cases brought by people in the Global South directly affected by climate change and forms part of a growing push for compensation for “loss and damage”, campaigners backing the case said.

The nongovernmental organisation supporting the plaintiffs said Holcim was selected because it is one of the world’s largest carbon dioxide emitters and the biggest so-called “carbon major” based in Switzerland.

A study commissioned by HEKS and conducted by the United States-based Climate Accountability Institute found that Holcim emitted more than 7 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide between 1950 and 2021 – about 0.42 percent of total global industrial emissions over the period.

Holcim has said it is committed to reaching net-zero emissions by 2050 and is following a science-based pathway to meet that goal. The company says it has cut direct CO2 emissions from its operations by more than 50 percent since 2015.

The plaintiffs are seeking compensation for climate-related damage, financial contributions to flood protection measures on Pari Island, and a rapid reduction in Holcim’s carbon emissions.

Cement production accounts for about 7 percent of global carbon dioxide emissions, according to the Global Cement and Concrete Association.