According to the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law, climate change-fueled extreme weather events are driving vulnerable communities across South Korea, the Philippines, India, and Indonesia to file lawsuits against major fossil fuel companies, even as Asia accounts for less than 10% of global climate litigation.
Did you know? As of mid-2025, researchers tracked 3,099 climate change cases filed globally, with nearly two-thirds originating in the United States and Europe accounting for 32% of the total, leaving Asia and Africa at 6% and 2%, respectively.
Typhoon Survivors Sue Shell in the United Kingdom
In December 2025, 67 survivors of Super Typhoon Rai sued Shell at the Royal Courts of Justice in the United Kingdom, seeking compensation for damages caused by historic emissions that worsened the 2021 disaster. According to plaintiff Trixy Elle, whose family survived on dead livestock after the Category 5-equivalent storm destroyed her home on Batasan Island in Bohol, the legal action challenges the energy giant over its knowledge of climate risks dating back to the 1960s. Greenpeace Philippines campaigner Jefferson Chua noted that plaintiffs filed the civil case in the UK because courts there maintain more developed climate jurisprudence and stronger mechanisms for assessing corporate responsibility.
South Korea and India Advance Domestic Climate Rights
Courts in South Korea and India issued major rulings regarding constitutional rights and climate protections. According to court records, South Korea’s Constitutional Court ruled in 2024 that parts of the country’s Carbon Neutrality Act were unconstitutional because they failed to protect the rights of future generations, following a case filed by Youth 4 Climate Action. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court of India recognized protection from the adverse impacts of climate change as a fundamental constitutional right during legal efforts to protect the critically endangered Great Indian Bustard from overhead power lines.
Pro Tip: Legal experts suggest tracking cross-border litigation trends closely, as plaintiffs increasingly file suits in foreign jurisdictions where parent companies are headquartered to bypass domestic judicial hurdles.
Swiss Court Admits Pari Island Suit Against Holcim
Residents of Pari Island in Indonesia filed a civil suit against Swiss cement giant Holcim at the Cantonal Court of Zug in Switzerland, which admitted the case in December. According to plaintiff Arif Pujianto, the residents are demanding that Holcim cut its emissions by 69% by 2040 compared to 2019 levels, as well as fund flood protection measures to combat rising sea levels and tidal flooding that threaten to submerge their homes. Johannes Wendland, a legal advisor at HEKS-EPER Swiss Church Aid, stated that the case has already triggered legal alerts from major Swiss commercial law firms warning corporate clients of high-emission legal risks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are Asian plaintiffs filing climate lawsuits abroad?
According to campaigners, plaintiffs file cases in foreign jurisdictions like the United Kingdom and Switzerland because those courts feature more developed climate jurisprudence, stronger corporate accountability mechanisms, and fewer judicial independence hurdles than some domestic courts in Asia.
What was the outcome of South Korea’s climate case?
According to official court records, South Korea’s Constitutional Court ruled that parts of the nation’s Carbon Neutrality Act were unconstitutional because they failed to adequately protect the constitutional rights of future generations.
How many global climate change cases have been filed?
According to mid-2025 data from the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law, a total of 3,099 climate change cases have been filed worldwide.
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