Sindh Farmers Seek Climate Justice Against German Firms

Farmers from Sindh, including Hamza Khan Kalhoro, Abdul Hafeez Khoso, and Abdul Khaliq Leghari, held a press conference to announce their plan to file a climate accountability case in Germany. The case targets two major corporations, RWE and Heidelberg Materials, who are among the world’s highest CO2 emitters. The farmers aim to hold these companies responsible for climate-related damages that affected their lives and livelihoods.

The farmers explained that the 2022 floods caused devastating losses, destroying crops, livestock, and homes, and pushed thousands of families into long-term economic struggles. They stressed that Pakistan, despite contributing less than one per cent to global greenhouse gas emissions, suffers disproportionately from extreme climate events. The case, filed under German civil law, is based on the “polluter pays” principle and seeks compensation for the damages they endured.

National Trade Union Federation (NTUF) leader Nasir Mansoor highlighted that climate change is also a labour and livelihood issue. He said repeated climate shocks harm rural employment and food security while increasing inequality. He praised the farmers’ decision to take legal action and emphasized the need for climate justice to protect working communities and vulnerable populations from global warming impacts.

Experts supporting the farmers stressed that the 2022 floods were not a “natural disaster alone” but a result of human-driven global warming. Dr Shaikh Tanveer Ahmed from HANDS Welfare Foundation said communities are paying the price for emissions they did not cause. International legal experts like Miriam Saage-Maab from ECCHR and Karin Zennig from Medico International said the case amplifies the voices of affected communities in global forums and shows the growing role of climate litigation in connecting science, human rights, and accountability.

The farmers, backed by local and international organizations, urged the global community to recognise climate-induced losses as a matter of justice and responsibility. With 43 farmers from Sindh joining the claim, they hope the legal action will encourage corporations to take accountability and support global efforts to prevent future climate disasters. The case is seen as a landmark step in seeking accountability from polluting companies for the destruction caused by climate change.