The International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued an advisory opinion on Wednesday saying that countries could be in breach of international law if they fail to take adequate climate action.
While the opinion is nonbinding, it is expected to influence climate-related litigation and global policy discussions. Legal experts say the ruling may provide a basis for countries to seek reparations for climate-linked damage.
“Failure of a state to take appropriate action to protect the climate system … may constitute an internationally wrongful act,” said ICJ President Judge Yuji Iwasawa, saying there’s “an existential problem of planetary proportions that imperils all forms of life and the very health of our planet.”…