International Court of Justice opens way for climate 'reparations'

"A historic milestone for climate action." On Wednesday, July 23, Vanuatu's climate minister, Ralph Regenvanu, was overjoyed at the end of a hearing at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) that the Pacific archipelago had been waiting for six years. The world's highest court, based in The Hague, concluded that states that violate their climate obligations commit an "internationally wrongful" act and could be subject to "reparations" from the most affected countries. This is the first time that the United Nations' principal judicial body, created in 1945, has ruled on the environment.

This unprecedented advisory opinion is intended to influence global jurisprudence. Legislators, judges, lawyers, and diplomats will now be able to use it to change laws, sue states, or attempt to accelerate climate negotiations. "This is a victory for our planet, for climate justice, and for the power of young people to make a difference," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a statement.

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