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In
a
landmark
finding,
the
United
Nations’
top
court
on
Wednesday
issued
an
advisory
opinion
stating
that
a
“clean,
healthy
and
sustainable
environment”
is
a
human
right.
The
International
Court
of
Justice
(ICJ)
ruling
supports
the
obligation
of
UN
member
states
to
tackle
the
climate
crisis
and
outlines
the
consequences
they
could
face
if
they
fail
to
do
so.
“The
consequences
of
climate
change
are
severe
and
far-reaching:
they
affect
both
natural
ecosystems
and
human
populations.
These
consequences
underscore
the
urgent
and
existential
threat
posed
by
climate
change,”
said
ICJ
president
Yuji
Iwasawa,
as
The
Guardian
reported.
The
ICJ
ruled
that
member
states
have
an
obligation
to
safeguard
Earth’s
environment
from
greenhouse
gas
(GHG)
emissions
while
acting
with
“due
diligence
and
cooperation”
in
doing
so,
reported
UN
News.
The
court
also
ruled
that
breaching
these
obligations
will
cause
members
to
incur
legal
responsibility
and
could
result
in
them
being
required
to
stop
the
wrongful
conduct,
make
full
reparations
and
offer
guarantees
of
non-repetition,
depending
on
the
circumstances.
The
International
Court
of
Justice
ruled
that
nations
have
an
obligation
to
act
on
climate
change
under
international
laws
protecting
the
environment
and
human
rights.
By
@lsommer.bsky.social[image
or
embed]—
NPR
(@npr.org)July
24,
2025
at
2:38
PM
To
justify
their
decision,
the
court
used
the
commitments
of
member
states
to
both
human
rights
and
environmental
treaties,
including
the
Kyoto
Protocol,
the
Biodiversity
Convention
and
the
Paris
Agreement.
“But
also,
because
‘a
clean,
healthy
and
sustainable
environment
is
a
precondition
for
the
enjoyment
of
many
human
rights,’
since
Member
States
are
parties
to
numerous
human
rights
treaties
–
including
the
UN’s
Universal
Declaration
of
Human
Rights
–
they
are
required
to
guarantee
the
enjoyment
of
such
rights
by
addressing
climate
change,”
UN
News
said.
The
Pacific
Island
country
of
Vanuatu
in
2021
announced
that
it
would
seek
an
ICJ
advisory
opinion
on
climate
change.
Youth
group
Pacific
Island
Students
Fighting
Climate
Change
inspired
the
action.
Vanuatu
lobbied
other
member
states
to
support
the
initiative
in
the
UN
General
Assembly.
In
response
to
the
request,
the
assembly
adopted
a
resolution
that
requested
an
ICJ
advisory
opinion
on
two
questions:
“(1)
What
are
the
obligations
of
States
under
international
law
to
ensure
the
protection
of
the
environment,
and
(2)
What
are
the
legal
consequences
for
states
under
these
obligations
when
they
cause
harm
to
the
environment?”
Although
advisory
opinions
are
not
legally
binding,
they
carry
significant
moral
and
legal
authority,
while
helping
to
develop
and
clarify
international
law
by
defining
the
legal
obligations
of
member
states.
The
recent
case
is
the
largest
the
ICJ
has
ever
reviewed
in
terms
of
the
number
of
member
states
that
took
part
in
oral
proceedings
—
97
—
as
well
as
the
91
written
statements.
REACTION:
Oxfam
response
to
the
ICJ
advisory
opinion
on
countries'
climate
change
obligations
Full
reaction
here:
www.oxfam.org.uk/mc/2io7f7/[image
or
embed]—
Oxfam
News
Team
(@oxfamgbnews.bsky.social)July
23,
2025
at
11:29
AM
The
hearings
at
The
Hague
lasted
two
weeks
in
December,
during
which
representatives
of
vulnerable
states
argued
that
legal
responsibility
for
continuing
climate
change
impacts
should
fall
on
a
handful
of
countries,
The
Guardian
reported.
Meanwhile,
the
planet’s
top
GHG
emitters
denied
having
any
legal
responsibility
other
than
the
Paris
Agreement.
Prime
Minister
of
Vanuatu
Jotham
Napat
said
the
decision
was
a
“turning
point
in
the
fight
for
climate
justice.”
“This
process
has
elevated
the
voices
of
climate-vulnerable
nations,
driven
global
awareness,
and
set
the
stage
for
stronger
climate
action,”
Napat
said,
as
reported
by
The
Guardian.
“This
ruling
will
give
us
a
foundation
to
build
upon,
and
this
moment
will
inspire
continued
efforts
for
stronger
action
and
accountability,
inspiring
bold
efforts
to
protect
our
planet.”
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