A Peruvian farmer who says German energy giant RWE's emissions have contributed to the melting of Andean glaciers, increasing the flood risk to his home, took his case to court on Monday in a hearing that could set a precedent for climate litigation.

He wants the German company to pay 17,000 euros ($18,400) towards flood defences for his community, arguing that the fossil fuels the firm uses to generate electricity make it partly responsible for the flood risk.

A German court is re-opening a significant climate-related legal case involving Peruvian farmer Saul Luciano Lliuya, who asserts that emissions from German energy company RWE have played a role in the melting of glaciers in the Andes.