Major Milestone Reached In Historic Climate Judgement As States Submit Arguments To World’s Highest Court

This moment follows on from the landmark resolution to seek an advisory opinion from the ICJ, adopted by consensus at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in March last year — hailed as a huge leap forward for global climate justice that would see human rights and intergenerational equity placed at the forefront of climate decision-making.

The climate justice advisory opinion promises to deliver unparalleled clarity on the international legal obligations countries bear in safeguarding people from the impacts of climate change. Since the resolution was adopted, States and international organisations around the world have spent months compiling their responses to the legal questions, gathering evidence and testimonies of climate harm as part of their written submissions to the Court.

Pacific States have been at the forefront of this process and significantly, all Pacific Island nations have made strong submissions to the Court in a strong show of unity. Civil society has also been central to organising not only the successful UNGA vote, but also ensuring that States engage constructively with the process to ensure the strongest possible legal opinion. 

The final advisory opinion will be shaped by these written submissions, which detail harrowing testimonies from people across the Pacific and around the world, sharing how the climate crisis is impacting their communities, their livelihoods and their culture.

Public hearings are expected to be held in The Hague later this year — the culmination of the campaign. These hearings provide a historic opportunity for the Court and the world to hear directly from those experiencing the impacts and harm posed by the climate emergency.