KARACHI: A group of Pakistani farmers affected by the 2022 floods has initiated legal action against two of Germany’s biggest corporations—energy firm RWE and cement producer Heidelberg—accusing them of contributing to climate change that devastated their livelihoods, The Guardian reported.
Lawyers representing 43 farmers from Sindh have issued formal notices to both companies, indicating their intent to file a lawsuit later this year. The farmers allege that their lands remained submerged for over a year following unprecedented monsoon rains in 2022 that inundated one-third of Pakistan, killing 1,700 people and displacing 33 million, with economic losses reaching $30 billion.
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Sindh, among the worst-hit provinces, saw massive agricultural destruction, leaving farmers unable to produce two consecutive rice and wheat harvests. The plaintiffs estimate their losses at around €1 million and demand that RWE and Heidelberg accept responsibility and provide compensation. If their demands are ignored, they plan to file the case by December.
Citing data from the Climate Accountability Institute, the report noted that RWE accounts for 0.68% of global industrial greenhouse gas emissions since 1965, while Heidelberg contributes about 0.12%. “Those who cause the damage should also pay for it,” said claimant Abdul Hafeez Khoso, emphasizing the injustice faced by communities least responsible for climate change.
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RWE stated it could not comment without further details, while Heidelberg confirmed receiving the notice and said it was under review. The lawsuit joins a growing wave of global climate litigation, with similar actions recently filed by Philippine typhoon survivors against Shell in the UK and residents of Pulau Pari against Swiss cement giant Holcim in Switzerland.