The International Court of Justice (ICJ), the UN’s principal judicial body, announced the release of its Advisory Opinion on the Obligations of States in respect of Climate Change, indicating that countries have an obligation under international law to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and to contribute to climate change adaptation, opening up potential requirements by wealthier nations to pay compensation to developing countries most affected by climate change.
The ICJ announcement follows a request by the UN General Assembly in 2023 for an advisory opinion to outline the obligations of states under international law to ensure the protection of the environment from GHG emissions,
