Sindh farmers sue German companies over carbon emissions fueling floods in Pakistan

A group of 43 farmers from Sindh has filed a lawsuit against two German companies over losses caused by the 2022 floods, seeking €1 million in compensation for the damages they endured.

The farmers argue that the flooding is a result of climate-driven changes linked to carbon emissions and hold these companies accountable for contributing to those emissions.

Rhineland-Westphalian Electricity Works (RWE), one of Europe’s major power producers with a long-standing dependence on coal, and Heidelberg Materials, a global leader in cement manufacturing and a key emitter in the carbon-intensive cement sector, have been served legal notices by the affected farmers.

Issued on October 28, the notices give both companies four weeks to reply or compensate the plaintiffs for the damages claimed.

The farmers, who belong to various villages in the Dadu, Jacobabad, and Larkana districts, are receiving international support from two German rights groups: the European Centre for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR) and Medico International. Within Pakistan, the National Trade Union Federation (NTUF) and the HANDS Welfare Foundation are assisting them in pursuing the case.

Abdul Khalique, a resident of Deed Sharif village in Dadu district, is among the 43 complainants. His 60-acre farmland was destroyed during the 2022 floods. “We have lost so much that no amount can truly compensate us,” he says.

Pakistan among countries hardest hit by floods, millions displaced, agriculture devastated: FAO

Karin Zennig, a climate justice organiser working on the case with Medico International, believes that the new governments that have come into power in recent years have increasingly distanced themselves from climate justice policies.

Speaking to a private channel, she said there is no longer any political force willing to support a green transition, which makes it even more crucial to pursue climate causes through other avenues such as the courts.

According to Zennig, this case must be viewed in that context, that even if governments completely abandon climate commitments, the struggle for climate justice will continue.

RWE and Heidelberg have four weeks to respond to the legal notice, after which the claim may proceed to court in Germany if they refuse negotiations or compensation. The case is expected to be lengthy and complex, as both corporations have vast resources and top legal teams, yet those pursuing it say they are prepared for the challenge.