German climate change law violates rights, court rules

Germany's climate change laws are "insufficient" and violate fundamental freedoms by putting the burden of curbing CO2 emissions on the young, its highest court has ruled.

It said the law failed to give enough detail on cutting CO2 emissions after current targets end in 2030.

"The provisions irreversibly offload major emission reduction burdens onto periods after 2030," the court said.

The government will now have to revise the law by the end of the next year.

The decision comes a week after the EU unveiled ambitious new climate change targets.

Under the law, which was agreed between member states and the EU Parliament, the bloc will cut carbon emissions by at least 55% by 2030, compared with 1990 levels.