UN World Court Concludes Landmark Hearings on States’ Responsibility for Climate Change
Location: The Hague, Netherlands
The International Court of Justice (ICJ), the principal judicial body of the United Nations, has concluded landmark hearings on the responsibility of States for climate change. The case was brought by a group of Pacific Island nations against five major carbon-emitting countries: the United States, China, Russia, India, and Brazil.
The hearings, which began in September 2024, focused on whether the defendant States had violated their international obligations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement. The plaintiffs argued that the States’ failure to mitigate their greenhouse gas emissions had contributed to sea-level rise, coastal erosion, and other climate change-related harms experienced by their low-lying island nations.
The defendant States presented various arguments in their defense, including that they had not breached their international obligations and that climate change was a complex issue that could not be attributed solely to their actions.
After several weeks of hearings, the ICJ adjourned in November 2024. The Court will now deliberate on the evidence and legal arguments presented by the parties and issue a judgment at a later date.
The ICJ’s decision is highly anticipated and could have significant implications for global climate policy. If the Court finds that the defendant States are responsible for climate change-related harms, it could establish a legal precedent for holding countries accountable for their contributions to the climate crisis.
The judgment could also provide guidance to governments and businesses on the scope of their obligations under the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement. It could also create a framework for international cooperation on climate action and strengthen the efforts to mitigate the effects of climate change.
Observers believe that the ICJ’s decision could have a profound impact on the global response to climate change. It could help to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy, promote climate adaptation measures, and ensure that the most vulnerable countries receive the support they need to cope with the impacts of climate change.
The ICJ’s judgment is expected to be issued in mid-2025.
UN World Court concludes landmark hearings on States’ responsibility for climate change
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