The International Court of Justice, the world’s highest court, handed down an advisory opinion on 23 July 2025 stating that climate change “imperils all forms of life”. This followed a case brought by Vanuatu, a tiny South Pacific island nation threatened by rising sea levels, supported by 131 other countries – the biggest case the court had ever heard. The opinion sets out what all governments need to do to limit greenhouse gas emissions and prevent further global warming. Climate law specialist Zunaida Moosa Wadiwala explains how the advisory opinion sets a powerful precedent for global climate accountability.
What did the International Court of Justice find?
The court’s advisory opinion confirmed that states have binding obligations under international law to protect the climate from human-caused climate change.
