Vývoj německé klimatické judikatury po rozhodnutí Spolkového ústavního soudu ve věci Neubauer

DEVELOPMENT OF GERMAN CLIMATE LITIGATION FOLLOWING THE THE NEUBAUER CASE
This article analyses the development of German climate litigation following the landmark decision of the Federal Constitutional Court (Bundesverfassungsgericht – BVerfG) in the Neubauer case (2021). The Neubauer decision established significant principles regarding the state’s duty to protect the climate, intergenerational equity, and the concept of intertemporal fundamental rights guarantees. This paper examines how subsequent decisions by various German courts (administrative, civil, and constitutional courts of the Länder) have interpreted and applied the principles set forth by the BVerfG. Based on a review of selected case law categorized by key legal themes – balancing public interests, the state’s margin of appreciation, the potential derivation of subjective rights, and other related administrative and civil matters – the article identifies emerging trends in German climate jurisprudence. It explores how courts grapple with translating the constitutional mandate for climate protection into concrete judicial review, particularly concerning administrative actions, planning decisions, and even civil disputes indirectly related to climate change. The analysis highlights the ongoing judicial dialogue surrounding the implications of Art. 20a of the Basic Law (Grundgesetz) and its interplay with fundamental rights in the context of the escalating climate crisis. The article also references relevant German academic literature contextualizing these judicial developments.