The United Nations’ top court in a landmark advisory opinion says countries could be in violation of international law if they fail to take measures to protect the planet from climate change, and nations harmed by its effects could be entitled to reparations.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued a unanimous opinion on July 23, 2025, that climate change is "an existential problem of planetary proportions that imperils all forms of life and the very health of our planet.

The ruling was the result of years of efforts by activists and small island nations and initiated by Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change, a group of young Pacific Islanders facing the existential threat of rising sea levels,

In a landmark, unanimous advisory opinion, the International Court of Justice found that a state's violation of its legal climate obligations was a 'wrongful' act, and greatly affected countries could sue for 'reparations.

The International Court of Justice’s ruling that countries have a legal duty to curb climate change was the result of a yearslong campaign that began with university students.

Today, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) delivered its Advisory Opinion on the obligations of States to protect the climate system.

In a historic advisory opinion, the International Court of Justice ruled that access to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment is a fundamental human right.

The opinion of the International Court of Justice is seen by some as a turning point in international climate law, with judges finding that states affected by global warming could be eligible for reparations.

Papua New Guinea has proved it's worth at the International Court of Justice on climate change. For the first time, four State lawyers, including Minister for Justice and Attorney General Pila Niningi and Secretary for the Department of Justice Dr Eric Kwa,