If the complaint is upheld, it could result in orders from national courts for governments to cut carbon dioxide emissions blamed for climate change faster than currently planned.
'UNPRECEDENTED IN SCALE'The applicants argue climate change threatens their rights including to life, physical and mental wellbeing.
Current policies would fail to meet either goal, according to the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
Last month, a judge in Montana, in the United States, handed a historic win to young plaintiffs in a climate change case.
In addition to Wednesday's youth case, there are two other climate cases pending before the ECHR's Grand Chamber.
Persons:
Andre, Sofia Oliveira, Pedro Nunes, heatwaves, Gerry Liston, Andre Oliveira, Martim Agostinho, Agostinho, Liston, Catarina Demony, Aislinn Laing, Alex Richardson, Christina Fincher
Organizations:
European, of Human Rights, United Nations, Thomson
Locations:
Almada , Portugal, Portugal, Britain, Switzerland, Norway, Russia, Turkey, Strasbourg, Paris, Portuguese, Leiria, Europe, Montana, United States, Lisbon