Meet the Kenyan goat herders suing the EU

The goats at Crescent farm in Kitale, where Wasike obtains milk from for making cheese.
The goats at Crescent farm in Kitale, where Wasike obtains milk from for making cheese.

A family of Kenyan goat herders are part of an eclectic group of people from across the world who are taking the European Union (EU) to court for failing to protect them from climate change threats to their homes and livelihoods.

The Guyo family, one of dozens of plaintiffs, live in northern Kenya, near the Ethiopian border.

They told AFP news agency that heatwaves have become more frequent and extreme, affecting the health and education of their five children.

"We face more and more extreme heat in our region. This threatens our lives on several levels," said Roba Guyo, the father of the family, told AFP.

"Water is missing for herding and drinking -- most importantly my children's health is in danger."

Temperatures in the area frequently soars above 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit), they say, making it hard for the oldest children to walk to school.

The group of plaintiffs consists of 10 families, including lavender farmers from France, and a group of young reindeer herders from the nomadic Sami community.

Their complaint is the EU's existing climate target of reducing domestic greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40% by 2030 does not protect their fundamental rights.

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