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The Conversation
The Conversation
Lauren Gifford, Faculty, Ecosystem Science & Sustainability; Director, Soil Carbon Solutions Center, Colorado State University

The World Court just ruled countries can be held liable for climate change damage – what does that mean for the US?

United States United Nations the US the World Court Climate Change ICJ the International Court of Justice Environment
Ralph Regenvanu, climate change minister of Vanuatu, speaks outside the International Court of Justice in The Hague on July 23, 2025. John Thys/AFP via Getty Images

The International Court of Justice issued a landmark advisory opinion in July 2025 declaring that all countries have a legal obligation to protect and prevent harm to the climate.

The court, created as part of the United Nations in 1945, affirmed that countries must uphold existing international laws related to climate change and, if they fail to act, could be held responsible for damage to communities and the environment.

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