A major event this Monday in The Hague as the International Court of Justice opens historic hearings on climate change. A crucial moment where representatives of vulnerable countries like Vanuatu will present their arguments before a panel of renowned judges.
This series of debates, which will bring together more than 100 countries and organizations, is an unprecedented event in the history of the ICJ. The stakes are high as the international community seeks to define the legal obligations of states in the face of climate change.
Vanuatu, alongside other Pacific island nations exposed to the devastating effects of climate change, is at the forefront of this quest for environmental justice. Its initiative, supported by the United Nations, aims to obtain a crucial advisory opinion from the ICJ on the responsibilities of states to protect the planet from greenhouse gas emissions.
At the heart of the debates are two fundamental questions: what obligations arise under international law to prevent climate damage? What legal consequences should states face when their actions, or inactions, cause major harm to the climate system?
These questions, submitted to the world’s highest court, reflect the urgency of the current situation. While developed countries committed, at the recent COP29 summit in Azerbaijan, to allocate substantial funds to combat climate change, the most vulnerable nations remain skeptical about the real scope of these promises.
Time is running out. The devastating effects of climate change are already being felt, particularly in regions grappling with rising sea levels and extreme weather. The lives and livelihoods of millions of people are at stake, making this hearing at the ICJ a decisive moment for the future of our planet.
Beyond the legal debates, it is also a call to global action that resonates. The largest emitters of greenhouse gases, including China, the United States and India, will be held accountable and contribute significantly to the collective effort to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
This ICJ advisory opinion represents a crucial step towards a harmonised legal approach to the climate crisis. Hopefully, the resulting conclusions will not only inform international debates, but also spur key actors to act decisively and in concert to preserve our planet for future generations.