Guardians of the Common Good: NGOs in Climate Disasters – the Case of the Organization "Klimaseniorinnen", Swiss Climate Seniors

As climate disasters increase in the Anthropocene, vulnerable groups, especially the elderly, face significant challenges. In this context, non-state actors are playing an increasingly important role in crisis management. A recent case illustrates this shift: in June 2024, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled in favor of the Organization “KlimaSeniorinnen Schweiz” (Climate Seniors of Switzerland), which had sued Switzerland for inadequate climate protection measures. They invoked their human rights and pointed to gaps in the state's protection of the common good. For the first time, the ruling upheld a Swiss NGO's complaint that the state's responsibility to "protect and promote the common good" had not been fulfilled. This ruling in favor of the Association of Climate NGOs provides a starting point for examining the impact that the involvement of NGOs can have on governments' climate change policies and strategies. This is linked to the increasing potential of NGOs for (i) participation and (ii) advocacy for justice in climate disasters. This raises the question of the common good, which is why this contribution addresses to what extent climate NGOs contribute to justice and equity in the context of climate disasters. The focus is on the distinction between the role of "guardian" of the common good vs. the role of "bearer" of the common good and the related governance and policy-making activities - especially with regard to supporting vulnerable population groups. It examines whether their interventions promote structural change or stabilize the status quo.

The article thus contributes to the discussion on the role of NGOs as non-governmental organizations and transformative actors in governmental climate protection policy that go beyond mere emergency relief. The focus is on the question of whether the bearers of the common good can also become its guardians if the original guardian (state) neglects its task.