The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is set to begin its landmark hearings on climate change, a case that could shape how nations are legally required to address the climate crisis and support vulnerable communities.
Starting on Monday, the ICJ will examine what actions countries must take to combat climate change and help those already grappling with its effects.
The push for this case follows years of lobbying by island nations, especially in the Pacific.
In 2023, the United Nations General Assembly requested the ICJ’s opinion on the “obligations of States in respect of climate change.”
The hearing, which involves over 100 countries and organizations, seeks to establish a legal framework for the actions needed to curb climate change and address its devastating consequences.
While ICJ advisory opinions are non-binding, their political and legal weight is immense.
The proceedings will focus on how countries can better protect the environment from harmful greenhouse gas emissions and what repercussions exist for non-compliance.
Vanuatu will be the first to present its arguments in the hearings, which will continue through mid-December. The opinion is expected in 2025.
Pacific nations voice their urgent need for climate justice at the International Court of Justice hearings.This historic case has its roots in 2019 when a group of students from the Pacific Islands campaigned for the climate issue to be brought to the ICJ.
Vishal Prasad, director of the Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change group, highlighted the urgent threat that climate change poses to their islands, stressing that it is not a distant concern but a reality reshaping their lives.
The ICJ hearings come just after the COP29 summit, where developing nations criticized the $300 billion annual climate finance pledge for 2035, calling it insufficient for addressing the severity of the crisis.
Activists from Pacific nations, who have long been on the front lines of climate change, expressed their frustration with international efforts that fail to meet the scope of the crisis they face.
Papua New Guinea, one of the countries most affected by rising sea levels, will also participate in the hearings.
Pila Niningi, Papua New Guinea’s Attorney General, emphasized the importance of the ICJ’s opinion in clarifying the legal responsibilities of states and ensuring stronger international action on climate change.
As global leaders gather at the ICJ, the future of vulnerable nations facing the devastating impacts of climate change may depend on the outcome of these historic hearings.