Four inhabitants of the Indonesian island of Pari have sued Swiss-based major buildings materials company Holcim (from 2015 to 2021: Lafarge Holcim). In July 2022, they filed a request for conciliation before the Justice of the Peace of the Canton of Zug, Switzerland. This is a necessary step required by the Swiss Civil Procedure Code.
The plaintiffs are supported by three NGOs: HEKS/EPER (Switzerland), the European Center for Constitutional and European Rights (ECCHR) and WALHI (Indonesia).
The plaintiffs request:
•	proportional compensation for climate change-related damages on Pari
•	reduction of CO2 emissions by 43 % by 2030 and by 69% by 2040, relative to 2019 levels
•	financial contribution to adaptation measures on Pari
The claim can be seen as novel and unprecedented as it combines two approaches: reduction of GHGs and compensation.

On February 1, 2023, following a Conciliation Hearing before the Justice of the Peace in October 2022 where no settlement was reached, the NGOs supporting the plaintiffs announced that the plaintiffs had formally lodged a lawsuit against Holcim with the Cantolnal Court of Zug (Kantonsgericht Zug). 

In October 2023, Cantonal Court of Zug granted the plaintiffs’ request for free legal aid (art. 117 et seq Civil Procedure Code). According to a press release of HEKS, the judge held that the two requirements for granting free legal aid, (a) insufficient sufficient funds to pay for legal cost and (b) the legal petition does not seem to be lacking any chance of success, were met.

The legal basis on which the plaintiffs rely is Article 28 of the Swiss Civil Code (infringement of personal rights) and Article 41 of the Code of Obligations (redress for unjust harm). As to Holcim's historical emissions, the plaintiffs rely on a Study by Richard Heede/Climate Accountability Institute. 

On 17 December 2025, the Cantonal Court of Zug rendered a procedural decision, allowing the case to proceed to the merits. In particular, the decision holds that the plaintiffs have standing to sue. The respondent announced to appeal the decision.

Asmania et al. vs Holcim

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Asmania et al. vs Holcim - press release

Filed

Switzerland

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Policy instruments are techniques or tools used by governing authorities to promote certain policies in order to achieve predetermined goals. Put simply, instruments are how a government tries to achieve its goals, with this taxonomy being focused on national policy instruments.

Risk is the potential for adverse consequences resulting from the dynamic interplay between (climate-related) hazards, exposure, and vulnerability of affected human or ecological systems.

Groups  of people who are adversely affected by climate change or the response to it

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Justice is the ethical and political framework that addresses fairness, including issues of responsibility, rights, and structural inequity.

Renewable energy means all forms of energy produced from renewable sources in a sustainable manner.

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Molecules in the atmosphere that play a key role in the greenhouse effect by trapping heat radiating from Earth’s surface.

Area of the economy in which actors engage in identical or related activities.

In human systems, the process of adjustment to actual or expected climate change and its effects, in order to moderate harm, increase resilience or exploit beneficial opportunities. In natural systems, the process of adjustment to actual climate change and its effects; human intervention may facilitate adjustment to expected climate change and its effects.

The management and allocation of funds, assets and investments to meet various objectives

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A long-lived, colourless gas, chiefly emitted from fossil fuel combustion, deforestation and cement production.

Extreme weather refers to events where a weather variable exceeds (or falls below) a threshold. Meaning it is significantly different from the average or usual weather pattern.

Slow onset events evolve gradually from incremental changes over many years or from increased frequency or intensity of recurring events. As defined in the Cancun Adaptation Framework (2010), slow onset events include risks and impacts from rising temperatures, desertification, biodiversity loss, land and forest degradation, glacial retreat, ocean acidification, sea level rise, and salinization.

Asmania et al. vs Holcim - press release

Target

Risk

Greenhouse gas

Adaptation/resilience