Farmers in Pakistan seek accountability from two major German companies for their alleged role in intensifying deadly floods through greenhouse gas emissions.
Pakistani farmers from Sindh province have filed a lawsuit against two German companies, RWE and Heidelberg Materials, over their alleged contributions to the 2022 floods through greenhouse gas emissions. The case, brought by 39 farmers, claims these emissions intensified the disaster that submerged vast areas and destroyed livelihoods.
The 2022 floods in Pakistan displaced 30 million people, killed more than 1,700 individuals, and inundated millions of acres of farmland. In Sindh, the worst-hit province, farmers like Inayatullah Laghari lost harvests and faced severe hardships, with floodwaters leaving marks on buildings and spoiling stored crops.
Farmers' Claims and Legal Action
The farmers accuse RWE, a major European electricity producer, and Heidelberg Materials, a leading building materials manufacturer, of being among the largest emitters of carbon dioxide in Germany. According to data from Carbon Majors, these companies are part of the 178 industrial producers responsible for 70 percent of global carbon emissions.
The lawsuit was filed in a Heidelberg court in December, arguing that the companies' emissions, despite occurring in Germany, directly contributed to the floods in Pakistan. The European Centre for Constitutional and Human Rights is representing the farmers, stating that the case could set precedents for climate-related liability.
This case draws inspiration from a 2015 lawsuit by a Peruvian farmer against RWE, which a German court dismissed in 2025 but acknowledged that companies could be held liable for climate harms. Similarly, a 2012 Karachi factory fire led to a successful German lawsuit against a sourcing company, resulting in compensation and influencing supply chain laws.
A Pakistan-based trade union is assisting the farmers by gathering testimonies and evidence for the German legal team. The union's general secretary emphasized the need for accountability, describing this as Pakistan's first cross-border climate litigation aimed at raising awareness of climate impacts.
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