The UN International Court of Justice has ruled that states must protect people from the “imminent and existential threat” of climate change, marking the first time the UN’s highest judicial body has ruled on climate change.
This is stated in the press release.
The ruling gives countries the ability to sue each other over climate change, particularly over emissions of gases that heat up the planet. This right could be used by countries vulnerable to global warming that have turned to the court after becoming frustrated with the lack of global progress in addressing the problem.
The International Court of Justice of the United Nations has ruled that countries may be violating international law if they fail to protect the climate. The court stressed that a clean environment is fundamental to human rights, and supporting fossil fuel production can harm those rights.
The courtʼs opinion is advisory, but it could influence future trials and climate negotiations.
Some fossil fuel producing countries, such as the United States and Saudi Arabia, believe that the Paris climate agreement is sufficient to protect the climate. Others insist that such countries should compensate those countries that are most affected by climate change, such as the Pacific islands.
- The Paris Climate Agreement aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and ensure that global temperatures do not rise by more than two degrees above pre-industrial levels this century, with a commitment to keep the temperature increase below 1.5 degrees.
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