Overview

• The advisory opinion was adopted unanimously by all 15 ICJ judges on July 23 in The Hague.
• It requires states to set and achieve emission-reduction targets based on the best available science to limit warming to 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels.
• The court warned that failure to enact adequate mitigation measures could amount to an international wrongful act with potential liability for compensation.
• Despite its non-binding nature, the ruling carries high moral and legal authority and is expected to influence ongoing climate lawsuits and UN treaty talks.
• UN Secretary-General António Guterres along with climate-vulnerable nations and environmental NGOs praised the opinion as a landmark for planetary protection.