Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Class action lawsuit against world leaders for allowing global warming being filed at the International Criminal Court in the Hague


Class action lawsuit against world leaders for allowing global warming being filed at the International Criminal Court in the Hague

Class action lawsuit against global warming puts world leaders on notice



Nov 06, 3008

Think Don Quixote had it hard tilting at windmills? Now comes climate activist Danny Bloom with a class action lawsuit against all current world leaders for allowing global warming to proceed apace, and he's asking for US1$billion in damages to be paid to future generations of human beings -- "if there are any", he deadpans.

Let's check that again: Bloom is filing his lawsuit at the International Criminal Court in the Hague, the Netherlands, asking for "US$1 billion dollars in damages on behalf of future generations of human beings on Earth."

Bloom said he is filing the lawsuit with the help of a team of pro bono international lawyers to sue -- according to the proposed lawsuit's language -- "all world leaders for intent to commit manslaughter against future generations of human beings by allowing murderous amounts of fossil fuels to be harvested, burned and sent into the atmosphere as CO2, causing possible apocalyptic harm to the Earth's ecosystem and the very future of the human species."

That's strong language, and while it's likely not one giant step for humankind, Bloom says it's another "public wake-up call about the dangers of climate change and global warming pose for the future of the human species."

The 60-year-old climate activist is not kidding. While asking for damages of US$1 billion, Bloom says he and his team plan to donate any damages granted by the court to the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change -- winner of the Novel Prize for Peace in 2007, along with green campaigner Al Gore -- and other groups fighting climate change -- "before it is too late".

The lawsuit, if is accepted by the court, will be the first of its kind to lobby for the welfare and very existence of future generations of human beings, according Bloom.

"This is not about money," according to a press release issued by Bloom's legal team in Boston. "This is about trying to protect future generations of mankind, humankind, and a positive judgment in this case will help prod more people to take the issues of climate change and global warming more seriously. We fully intend to make all world leaders of today responsible for their actions in the present day and age."

When asked what the likelihood of such a class action lawsuit being heard by the court in the Hague, a representative of the legal team said: "It's up to the court to decide whether this case has any merit. We fully expect the court to agree to at least hear the case and make a responsible and measured decision later."

The ICC currently has 108 member nations and was set up in 1998. It began hearing cases in 2002 and was established as a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression, although it cannot currently exercise jurisdiction over the crime of aggression.

Don Quixote, move over. A global class action lawsuit against global warmings is now making headlines around the world, and not everyone is laughing. Bloom admits that many people "are laughing", but insists that he is "sincere in trying to issue this wake up call about the dangers of climate change".

A psychiatrist at a teaching hospital in the midwest said, when asked about this lawsuit: "What an ingenious idea. Although I have
no knowledge about whether this could ever have any practical merit,
it certainly has psychological merit. One of the main psychological challenges of climate change is to make it seem more immediate and important to people."

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

Class action lawsuit against world leaders for allowing global warming being mulled at the International Criminal Court in the Hague



A climate activist in Boston is currently mulling creating a lawsuit in the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague, the Netherlands, asking for US$1 billion dollars in damages on behalf of future generations of human beings on Earth. Asking to remain anonymous for now, the green activisti says he is mulling the lawsuit with the help of a team of pro bono international lawyers to sue -- according to the proposed lawsuit's language -- "all world leaders for intent to commit murder against future generations of
human beings by allowing murderous amounts of fossil fuels to be
harvested, burned and sent into the atmosphere as CO2, causing
possible apocalyptic harm to the Earth's ecosystem and the very future of the
human species."

While asking for damages of US$1 billion, the lawsuit plans to donate any damages granted by the court to the
United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change -- winner of the Novel Prize for Peace in 2007, along with green campaigner Al Gore -- and other groups fighting climate change before it is too late.

The lawsuit, if is accepted by the court, will be the first of its kind to lobby for the welfare and very existence of future generations of human beings, according to sources. "This is not about money," according to a press release issued by the legal team in Boston. "This is about trying to protect future generations of mankind, humankind, and a positive judgment in this case will help prod more people to take the issues of climate change and global warming more seriously. We fully intend to make all world leaders of today responsible for their actions in the present day and age."

When asked what the likelihood of such a class action lawsuit being heard by the court in the Hague, a representative of the legal team said: "It's up to the court to decide whether this case has any merit. We fully expect the court to agree to at least hear the case and make a responsible and measured decision later."

The ICC currently has 108 member nations and was set up in 1998. It began hearing cases in 2002.

The International Criminal Court was established in 2002 as a
permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes
against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression, although it
cannot currently exercise jurisdiction over the crime of aggression.
The Court came into being in 2002 -- the date its founding
treaty, the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, entered
into force -- and it can only prosecute crimes committed on or after
that date.The creation of the Court has been described as "one of the
most significant events in the history of contemporary international
relations and international law".

ICC WEBSITE
http://www.icc-cpi.int

Anonymous said...

Hey Sir:

"I thought about it, but I think it would be a mistake for you alone to file a suit. Given that big oil companies like Exxon have spent a lot of money to mislead the nation on global warming, it's quite possible they could be vulnerable to a lawsuit, in much the same way tobacco companies weren't directly liable for their product, because of the warnings the government required, but they were vulnerable for continuing to mislead the public. Still, any such remedy that might result from the suit would not be for you alone, but for everyone, the entire world (perhaps the natural world included). So for you to file the suit alone, although it might get a little publicity, would be a mistake, because it could preclude a much larger suit or award.

That's my thinking. I have heard some talk about this idea (from Hansen, maybe?) So it's not a crazy thought.

But I think for you to file a suit alone would be counter-productive. When this suit should be filed, it should be filed in a big way, with big-time legal backing (perhaps from the states) capable of winning a big award for the planet and its people. My two cents. "

Anonymous said...

KEYWORDS: globalmarshallplan; loonyleft; ; weliveinbizzaroworld


1 posted on 2008年11月7日 下午 12:49:50 by Lorianne
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To: Lorianne
Am I just getting old or has the world been turned inside out?



2 posted on 2008年11月7日 下午 12:52:21 by nufsed
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To: Lorianne
“The International Criminal Court was established in 2002 as a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression”

Obama may need to pay these people off, or he could wind up in there



3 posted on 2008年11月7日 下午 12:52:43 by realcleanguy
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To: Lorianne
No problem. Obama will just mail them a $45 billion check Jan 21st.



4 posted on 2008年11月7日 下午 12:53:26 by RetiredArmy (America is entering four very long and cold years. First victim: liberty)
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To: Lorianne
Well, there you have it. Planet Earth is now run by morons who thing they’re going to die by global warming. I hope there’s intelligent life in the universe that might come down and save us. It doesn’t appear that it’s going to be done by humans.



5 posted on 2008年11月7日 下午 12:53:28 by popdonnelly (Don't lose sight of your conservative principles.)
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To: Lorianne
Can I file a class action suit against the USA for having (barely) more than 50% of our citizens (well, except for those non citizen voters like the illegals and the dead people) putting a manchild Marxist into the most powerful office in the world?



6 posted on 2008年11月7日 下午 12:54:10 by freedumb2003 (Der neuen Fuhrer: AKA the Murdering Messiah: Keep your power dry, folks)
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To: Lorianne
Let's sue on behalf of the untold millions slaughtered in the name of "a woman's right to choose."
Then sue on behalf of the victims of Marxism.

Then sue the Indians for reparations for lung cancer caused by tobacco.

Kyrie Eleison!


7 posted on 2008年11月7日 下午 12:56:39 by grey_whiskers (The opinions are solely those of the author and are subject to change without notice.)
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To: nufsed
Speaking for myself, I think it’s both.



8 posted on 2008年11月7日 下午 12:56:55 by Lorianne
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To: Lorianne
This is about trying to protect future generations of mankind, humankind ...
Nice cringing recovery from an almost fatal error.


9 posted on 2008年11月7日 下午 12:57:49 by dighton
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To: nufsed
Mayhap both?



10 posted on 2008年11月7日 下午 12:58:54 by doc1019 (We are now an Obamanation. Palin 2012)
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To: Lorianne
A climate activist in Boston is currently mulling creating a lawsuit in the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague, the Netherlands, asking for US$1 billion dollars in damages on behalf of future generations of human beings on Earth.
"Here's the plan. We get the warhead and we hold the world ransom for... ONE MILLION DOLLARS!"

Number Two: "Don't you think we should ask for *more* than a million dollars? A million dollars isn't exactly a lot of money these days"

One billion, divide among 10 generations, say average 10 billion/generation, everyone gets 1c each (and pie)


11 posted on 2008年11月7日 下午 01:02:00 by Oztrich Boy (I still don't tag sarcasm)
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To: Lorianne
I propose to sue every state so that people who don’t own property can’t vote on increasing property taxes on those that do.



12 posted on 2008年11月7日 下午 01:02:31 by Claytonbridge
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To: doc1019
Funny, I feel a chill.



13 posted on 2008年11月7日 下午 01:05:24 by nufsed
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To: Lorianne
Since there is the relationship between “cause” and “effect,” and in recognition that there is a necessary lagtime between cause before effect can occur, is this lawsuit aimed at Clinton, Chirac, Trudeau and the other leaders who participated in the causal period? I’m sure that is the case.



14 posted on 2008年11月7日 下午 01:16:20 by Rembrandt (We would have won Viet Nam w/o Dim interference.)
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To: nufsed
At my advanced age (and medical condition), I’m enjoying all this stuff. I only have a few years left (at best) and have little influence on world events … so, as a bystander, I’m enjoying all that is occurring around me. Not feeling optimistic in regards to our young folk thou.



15 posted on 2008年11月7日 下午 01:22:37 by doc1019 (We are now an Obamanation. Palin 2012)
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To: Lorianne
And I may file suit there as well for the lost jobs of future generations due to the stupidity and wackiness of this generation.



16 posted on 2008年11月7日 下午 01:45:21 by Zack Attack
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To: Lorianne
Tell the ICC to stuff it. They have no jurisdiction or means of enforcing their kangaroo court.

17 posted on 2008年11月7日 下午 01:50:06 by Myrddin
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To: doc1019
Likewise.
I never take the results personally. I've been on the losing side more than my share.

However, this is the first time I actually worried about the consequences of the result.


18 posted on 2008年11月7日 下午 01:51:48 by nufsed
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To: Lorianne
Well that’s fine, as long as they let the people who are doing REAL Science on the subject have their say.



19 posted on 2008年11月7日 下午 02:11:29 by SuziQ
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To: nufsed
It’s another attempt at big time fleecing of the world.

Anonymous said...

It's tiresome to keep seeing how much effort goes into trying to avoid the core dilemma, when what we need to do is struggle with the many true moral challenges we actually do face. We simply can not grow out of the problems caused by growth. All the problems we face come from solutions of the past *working as intended*. The solutions of the present are designed the same way, to increase by %'s forever (until they run into something unexpected). Making peace with the earth is the opposite of finding new ways to multiply our control and uses of the earth.
— phil henshaw, nyc

Anonymous said...

“Don’t worry so much about sea level rise—worry about where your food’s going to come from,” Paul Ehrlich said at the September 18 launch of The Dominant Animal at the Woodrow Wilson Center, adding, “The people who are starving, of course, will also have nuclear weapons, which makes the whole situation a little dicier.” For more on Ehrlich's ideas about how to tackle these and other major challenges, check out the September 18, 2008, event summary (includes video, transcript, summary).
— Rachel Weisshaar, Washington, DC

Anonymous said...

I'm slightly surprised that we're still living in large cities following Setember 11th. Granted the telecommuting technologies that exist today did not exist 7 years ago, but they are not being adopted as readily as I would have hoped for.

I am also amazed that our food supply has not been attacked. As Tommy Thompson has pointed out, it would be astonishingly easy to poison our food supply, coming from central sources as it does with overseas inputs and no security measures.

Really, I believe that a combination of the suggestions in the above article combined with telecommuting and localized food sources would create a wealthier, more secure nation with a future worth passing onto our children. Rather than squandering our immense defense budget against imagined foes, and, yes, they are imagined, we might set aside something for the future, teach our children something worth learning, and prepare our citizens against real foes.

Now that would be a real defense plan for future generations.
— wc, Raleigh

Anonymous said...

Ban Ki Moon
Secretary General
United Nations
First Avenue at 46th Street
New York, N.Y., 10017

Excellency,

Re: Renewable energy and global warming

I write to ask for your personal support for certain scientific work I have done showing conclusively that there is an economical and low cost way to not only control but to reverse the existing climate change, and to ask for your assistance to bring this work before the public.

I also wish to present for your perusal and ask for your support for work I have done in the fields of economics (employment and unemployment), medical imaging, computers (artificial intelligence, graphics, databases, and computer memory), energy (solar, nuclear and thermonuclear), and astronomy (principally planetary science).

A CD containing details of some of my other work, employment history, personal and business references, a psychological appraisal, police clearances, and news clippings about that work is available on request (site map attached). The personal references and psychological appraisal show that I am good at what I do and do not suffer fools or incompetents gladly. I have little time for bureaucracies, but have a very high regard for those in public administration, sometimes called “The Public Service”.

No doubt you will want to know the basis of my claims, re: global warming. Technical details of the solution will be made available to you if we can reach an agreement to work together. Since it is pertinent, I am not a politician or an employee of any government or private enterprise organization (see resume).

You may now be asking yourself why I am approaching you.

On 16 March 2006 I sent an e-mail on the subject of solar energy, nuclear energy and global warming to members of the Australian Parliament. The Australian Prime Minister later announced a review of nuclear energy. The same e-mail was then sent to the members of the various Australian state parliaments to keep them informed.

The Australian authorities, however, have shown no interest in pursuing my work, or even discussing it let alone testing it. In private discussions some of the authorities I have approached have even said that they do not want to see some of these problems solved, hence my approach to you.

No doubt you would want to know what my proposal will cost. To address the global warming problem will require a.) introducing the solution to the public, and b.) an education program to capture the heart and soul of humanity. These will have costs associated with them. On the plus side, solving with this problem will result in greater wealth for all, particularly those who show leadership.

2/…
Ban Ki Moon - 2- 19 April 2007


In the longer term, 20-50 years and onwards, it is self evident from my report that global warming isn’t the most serious problem facing humanity. If countries refuse to recognize the nature and extent of that more serious problem then humanity has no future.

The environment will continue to deteriorate, unemployment will rise while education, medical care, law and order, and other social structures will break down*. As people become poorer they will buy fewer goods and services. The rich will then become poorer because their companies and industries will make fewer sales, and the world economy will enter a downward spiral.

If this process is left unchecked it will end in an economic collapse, plagues, floods, droughts, and eventually to a weak or an ineffective defence force and a takeover. In the worst case scenario civilization will collapse*. These are not just stories to frighten little children. There is evidence that this process has already started.

It has been put to me that it would not be proper to write to you. If you are offended, I apologize. I write because some scientists say that if action isn’t taken to solve this problem nature is going to solve the problem, and nature can be brutal. It won't happen suddenly. It will happen gradually, and come on cats' paws, very quietly.

It would not be proper of me to not bring a solution to global warming, or any other global problem, to your attention.

Your response to the matters I have raised would be appreciated. If you would like to take them further please telephone or write to the address below. If you would wish me to present myself for your examination I am available at your convenience.

With respect,





George Blahusiak

805/32 Dumond Street
Bentley, W.A., 6102
Australia

Tel: (08) 9458-9484
(08) 9452-2394

e-mail: georgebl@iprimus.com.au

Encl: Resume
Site map
Police clearance
Renewable energy vs nuclear energy

* The Report of the Club of Rome

Anonymous said...

''Much thanks for passing this on. What an ingenious idea. Although I have
no knowledge about whether this could ever have any practical merit
(although why not start with the USA, since we are the biggest
contributor), it certainly will have psychological merit if it can be
publicized more. One of the main psychological challenges of this
problem is to make it seem more immediate and important to people.
Probably this challenge has increased with the current economic crisis.

Let me know if I can help in any way.'


Steven

Professor of Psychiatry

Anonymous said...

I wonder when people will start suing each other for exhaling, using fireplaces, having compost piles, etc. The contribution of CO2 as a percentage of greenhouse gases is tiny (water vapor is #1 by far). Man's contribution to total CO2 emission is tiny, compared to exhalation, plant decay, etc. Man's ability to understand and predict the complex global interactions of the climate is tiny.

Climate activists' efforts would be better spent getting a rudimentary education in ecology, growing some food, learning about soil, talking to their neighbors and donating a few bucks to Heifer International or another organization that doesn't seek to impose their psychotic global agenda on the world.

Anonymous said...

Hi, Danny:

I'm always in favor of pushing governments. I fear, though, this is another rather futile gesture. People who are focused solely on global warming and not on the more comprehensive problems that are at the root of global warming fail to comprehend the source of the reluctance to act on the part of, not just governments, but the vast majority of people. People in government know perfectly well what the core problem is: growth. They will not abandon the notion that growth - in GDP - is sacred. Nor will they quickly own up to the notion that it is growth in GDP, in population, in energy use, in consumption of everything, etc. is what led us to the brink with climate change.

What I call the eighty-twenty rule remains in play. Eighty percent of any given population is either too ill-informed or too unwilling to accept the the implications of the limits of growth in a finite system. The twenty percent who do get it, and are ready to sacrifice, find themselves hopelessly outnumbered... pissing in the wind, as they say.

Global population will need to contract by half, and the wealthier folks will have to live far less lavishly. Market economies will have to be replaced with steady-state economies, and so on.

Again, what are the odds any government, however hard pressed by law suits and protests, will tell their citizens: it's over, and tomorrow we live a new way... give up those four-car garages and Sony PlayStations, by the way.

I guess I'm just a cranky old fart, but then so is David Suzuki. Great speech he gave up in Canada this week.

DANIELBLOOM said...

DOT EARTH COMMENT

This Maldives relocation story has received a huge push by the international media this week. CNN did a big story on it yesterday, with visuals, and Jon Henly the UK's Guardian has a story today, too. But the subhead to his story says it all: "The president of the Maldives wants to buy a new home for his people to save them from rising sea levels, but where on Earth could they go?"

These "climate refugees", yes, where will they go? Buy land in Australia, Tasmania, New Zealand, and start their lives all over again as shopkeepers and farmers? Or buy land in Sri Lanka or coastal India or Thailand? I don't think these other countries are going to want to take Maldivian climate refugees in? What about Israel or Jordan or Dubai or the USA, maybe Alaska?

In the end, I think this was a media-manufactured story, Andy, a press release manufactured story, a "weird news of the day" news brief that became a huge global headline. But there is really no story here. The people of the Maldives are not going to move to a new homeland. If the seas do rise and cover their islands, they will emigrate to other countries, but not en masse and the president will lose his job. He will not have a country to run anymore. This was a non-news story masquerading as Big News.

Then again, given the climate change crisis we are in, it's a good story to make people THINK about what the future might hold.

You asked "what kind of PLANS should countries be making now for future problems with global warming and rising sea levels?" Of course, the Homeland Security Agency should be planning and designing and siting future "climate retreats" in the Lower 48 and Alaska NOW, not to be used now, but to be used when the big "climate tsunami" hits, maybe in the 2400-2500 AD period or so. In fact, I have heard that the CIA and the Homeland Security already have convened meetings on such "climate retreats" ("polar cities" if located in Antartica and Barrow, Alaska), but have kept their meeting secret, TOP SECRET, for fear of unduly alarming Americans and Canadians. Unfortunately, most of these "climate retreats" will be used to house government workers and rich families, and the rest of the populace will be left to fend for itself, as in Cormac McCarthy's THE ROAD. Unless people take action NOW to make sure this doesn't happen!

My class action lawsuit against world leaders on global warming is gaing steam now on PeakOik, Treehugger and Kunstlercast. Lots of opinions, pro and con, coming in.

See lawsuit here: (and I'm not kidding!)
(http://northwardho.blogspot.com)

The Maldives president gets a pass... because he IS thinking ahead.

DANIELBLOOM said...

A well known climate scientist at a major university tells me: "You really like the Don Quixote story, don't you, tilting at windmills"

Anonymous said...

Class action lawsuit against global warming puts world leaders on notice

Reaters News Service

Nov 06, 2008

Think Don Quixote had it hard tilting at windmills? Now comes climate activist Danny Bloom with a class action lawsuit against all current world leaders for allowing global warming to proceed apace, and he's asking for US$billion in damages to be paid to future generations of human beings -- "if there are any", he deadpans.

Let's check that again: Bloom is filing his lawsuit at the International Criminal Court in the Hague, the Netherlands, asking for "US$1 billion dollars in damages on behalf of future generations of human beings on Earth."

Bloom said he is filing the lawsuit with the help of a team of pro bono international lawyers to sue -- according to the proposed lawsuit's language -- "all world leaders for intent to commit manslaughter against future generations of human beings by allowing murderous amounts of fossil fuels to be harvested, burned and sent into the atmosphere as CO2, causing possible apocalyptic harm to the Earth's ecosystem and the very future of the human species."

That's strong language, and while it's likely not one giant step for humankind, Bloom says it's another "public wake-up call about the dangers of climate change and global warming pose for the future of the human species."

The 60-year-old climate activist is not kidding. While asking for damages of US$1 billion, Bloom says he and his team plan to donate any damages granted by the court to the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change -- winner of the Novel Prize for Peace in 2007, along with green campaigner Al Gore -- and other groups fighting climate change -- "before it is too late".

The lawsuit, if is accepted by the court, will be the first of its kind to lobby for the welfare and very existence of future generations of human beings, according Bloom.

"This is not about money," according to a press release issued by Bloom's legal team in Boston. "This is about trying to protect future generations of mankind, humankind, and a positive judgment in this case will help prod more people to take the issues of climate change and global warming more seriously. We fully intend to make all world leaders of today responsible for their actions in the present day and age."

When asked what the likelihood of such a class action lawsuit being heard by the court in the Hague, a representative of the legal team said: "It's up to the court to decide whether this case has any merit. We fully expect the court to agree to at least hear the case and make a responsible and measured decision later."

The ICC currently has 108 member nations and was set up in 1998. It began hearing cases in 2002 and was established as a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression, although it cannot currently exercise jurisdiction over the crime of aggression.

Don Quixote, move over. A global class action lawsuit against global warmings is now making headlines around the world, and not everyone is laughing. Bloom admits that many people "are laughing", but insists that he is "sincere in trying to issue this wake up call about the dangers of climate change".

DANIELBLOOM said...

Class action lawsuit against global warming puts world leaders on notice

Reaters News Service

Nov 06, 2008

Think Don Quixote had it hard tilting at windmills? Now comes climate activist Danny Bloom with a class action lawsuit against all current world leaders for allowing global warming to proceed apace, and he's asking for US1$billion in damages to be paid to future generations of human beings -- "if there are any", he deadpans.

Let's check that again: Bloom is filing his lawsuit at the International Criminal Court in the Hague, the Netherlands, asking for "US$1 billion dollars in damages on behalf of future generations of human beings on Earth."

Bloom said he is filing the lawsuit with the help of a team of pro bono international lawyers to sue -- according to the proposed lawsuit's language -- "all world leaders for intent to commit manslaughter against future generations of human beings by allowing murderous amounts of fossil fuels to be harvested, burned and sent into the atmosphere as CO2, causing possible apocalyptic harm to the Earth's ecosystem and the very future of the human species."

That's strong language, and while it's likely not one giant step for humankind, Bloom says it's another "public wake-up call about the dangers of climate change and global warming pose for the future of the human species."

The 60-year-old climate activist is not kidding. While asking for damages of US$1 billion, Bloom says he and his team plan to donate any damages granted by the court to the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change -- winner of the Novel Prize for Peace in 2007, along with green campaigner Al Gore -- and other groups fighting climate change -- "before it is too late".

The lawsuit, if is accepted by the court, will be the first of its kind to lobby for the welfare and very existence of future generations of human beings, according Bloom.

"This is not about money," according to a press release issued by Bloom's legal team in Boston. "This is about trying to protect future generations of mankind, humankind, and a positive judgment in this case will help prod more people to take the issues of climate change and global warming more seriously. We fully intend to make all world leaders of today responsible for their actions in the present day and age."

When asked what the likelihood of such a class action lawsuit being heard by the court in the Hague, a representative of the legal team said: "It's up to the court to decide whether this case has any merit. We fully expect the court to agree to at least hear the case and make a responsible and measured decision later."

The ICC currently has 108 member nations and was set up in 1998. It began hearing cases in 2002 and was established as a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression, although it cannot currently exercise jurisdiction over the crime of aggression.

Don Quixote, move over. A global class action lawsuit against global warmings is now making headlines around the world, and not everyone is laughing. Bloom admits that many people "are laughing", but insists that he is "sincere in trying to issue this wake up call about the dangers of climate change".

Anonymous said...

Much thanks for passing this on. What an ingenious idea. Although I have
no knowledge about whether this could ever have any practical merit
(although why not start with the USA, since we are the biggest
contributor), it certainly will have psychological merit if it can be
publicized more. One of the main psychological challenges of this
problem is to make it seem more immediate and important to people.
Probably this challenge has increased with the current economic crisis.

Let me know if I can help in any way.

Professor of Psychiatry
Medical College

DANIELBLOOM said...

3 comments so far
November 28th, 2008
6:44 pm GMT From a purely legal point of view, he would have to prove that there is some conceivable and legal course of action (so declaring military law and shooting SUV drivers is out), which could have been taken by these leaders, which if taken would have reduced warming.

Clearly, nobody can prove such a proposition. The real problem is that the most likely outcome is that he will simply harden the resolve of all those SUV drivers.

- Posted by Ian Kemmish

November 28th, 2008
7:35 pm GMT Take it to court. At least that way the science will prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the globe HAS NOT WARMED in 10 YEARS, even though carbon emissions have continued to rise! Case dismissed. At least the people aren’t fooled. Thank God for democracy.

- Posted by totalkaosdave

November 29th, 2008
2:38 am GMT “The question is: will or should the prosecutor take on the case?” As the plaintiff for this class-action lawsuit, I do hope the ICC will take the case. I think they should. However, while some readers here might see my lawsuit is futile, it is not pointless. Some will agree with me, others will disagree. Let the worldwide discussion, pro and con, begin. Politely. While some observers might call this a “publicity stunt”, and in many ways it could be seen as such, I prefer to call it a “publicity gesture” or a “publicity outreach”, to say to all world leaders and IPCC conference participants in Poland next month: “Please listen to James Lovelock and Hames Hansen and Tim Flannery and Fred Pearce and Mark Lynas and Sharon Astyk and James Howard Kunstler now. Before it is too late!”

- Posted by Dan Bloom

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