Young people go to European court to stop treaty that aids fossil fuel investors

Five claimants aged 17-31 want their governments to exit the energy charter treaty, which compensates oil and gas firms

Young victims of the climate crisis will on Tuesday launch legal action at Europe's top human rights court against an energy treaty that protects fossil fuel investors.

Five people, aged between 17 and 31, who have experienced devastating floods, forest fires and hurricanes are bringing a case to the European court of human rights, where they will argue that their governments' membership of the little-known energy charter treaty (ECT) is a dangerous obstacle to action on the climate crisis. It is the first time that the Strasbourg court will be asked to consider the treaty, a secretive investor court system that enables fossil fuel companies to sue governments for lost profits.