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International Court of Justice Rules Climate Inaction May Breach International Law

The ruling provides a non-binding yet influential framework for defining states’ emission obligations under international law.

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Climate activists demonstrate outside the International Court of Justice before the ruling on Wednesday
A photo shows the Peace Palace, which houses the International Court of Justice (ICJ), in The Hague, on May 1, 2024.
A machine clears clear debris along the banks of the Guadalupe River after catastrophic floods in Center Point, Texas, on July 11, 2025.

Overview

  • The ICJ advisory opinion issued July 23 found that a state’s failure to protect the climate system may constitute an internationally wrongful act.
  • It formally recognizes a clean, healthy and sustainable environment as a fundamental human right under international law.
  • The court held that countries harmed by climate-driven extreme weather may be entitled to reparations, to be determined on a case-by-case basis.
  • Legal experts say the opinion’s detailed reasoning will shape future climate litigation, diplomatic negotiations and national policy decisions.
  • The advisory opinion caps the largest-ever climate proceeding at the ICJ, initiated by Pacific island states and backed by 132 UN member nations.