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ICJ Issues Landmark Opinion Defining Climate Duties for Nations

The ruling clarifies under international law states’ obligations to curb greenhouse gas emissions, providing a moral benchmark for holding major polluters responsible.

University students and professors perform the Istisqa prayer, a special prayer in Islam performed to ask Allah for rain during times of drought, at the Sanaa University, in Sanaa, Yemen July 16, 2025. REUTERS/Khaled Abdullah/File Photo
A view of Lake Qaraoun, Lebanon's largest reservoir, which is experiencing drought, according to the Litani River National Authority, near the village of Qaraoun, Lebanon, on July 9, 2025. REUTERS/Aziz Taher/File Photo
A sea turtle nibbles on what remains of the once vibrant reef at Havannah Harbour, off the coast of Efate Island, Vanuatu, on Sunday, July 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Annika Hammerschlag)
What remains of the "Tree of Life" on Sunday, July 20, 2025, is visible off the coast of Efate Island, Vanuatu, after being toppled by cyclones in 2023 and further damaged by an earthquake in 2024. (AP Photo/Annika Hammerschlag)

Overview

  • On July 23, 2025, the International Court of Justice delivered its first advisory opinion on climate, outlining states’ duties to protect the environment for present and future generations.
  • The UN General Assembly referral, led by Vanuatu and backed by 132 co-sponsors, tasked the ICJ with answering two questions on emission reduction obligations and legal consequences for harmful acts or omissions.
  • Although non-binding, legal experts say the opinion’s moral and political weight will guide future climate litigation, shape national policies and inform UN negotiations.
  • More than 100 states and organizations made oral submissions during December hearings in The Hague, marking the largest-ever case driven by Pacific island and other vulnerable nations.
  • Major emitters including the United States and India argued that existing UNFCCC and Paris Agreement frameworks suffice, while smaller states pressed for clearer standards and reparations.