Big news is happening in The Hague, Netherlands. The United Nations’ highest court, called the International Court of Justice (ICJ), is about to make a huge decision that could affect how countries all over the world handle climate change.
🌊 For years, small island countries like Vanuatu have been asking for help. These places are in big danger because sea levels are rising due to global warming, and some islands fear they could disappear underwater. So, in 2023, the UN General Assembly asked the ICJ to give an advisory opinion. That means the court will share its official thoughts—even if countries don’t have to follow them, the opinion could still change everything.
👩⚖️ Fifteen judges were asked to answer two big questions:
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What are countries supposed to do to protect the Earth from pollution and greenhouse gases that cause climate change?
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What happens if a country hurts the Earth by not doing enough—or by doing the wrong things?
⛅ “The survival of my people is at stake,” said Arnold Kiel Loughman, who is from Vanuatu. He spoke during the court’s hearings, sharing how sea levels are rising more than 4 centimeters in some places. This rise, plus extreme weather, makes life very dangerous for island nations.
🔥 Since the early days of factories and machines, the world has gotten 1.3 degrees Celsius hotter because of burning oil, gas, and coal. But even though many world leaders talk about climate action, progress has been slow.
🌴 “The global agreements are not moving fast enough,” said Ralph Regenvanu, the Climate Change Minister of Vanuatu. That’s why they asked the court to speak up—to help push countries to take real action.
🧑⚖️ Even though the ICJ can’t force rich countries like the United States or Russia to cut pollution, its opinion could still be very powerful. Once the court speaks, people could use the decision to:
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Sue their own governments for not protecting the planet
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Pressure other nations to act faster
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Set new legal rules for how countries should treat nature
⚖️ “This case is important because it talks about the past, present, and future,” said Joie Chowdhury, a lawyer who fights for the environment. She explained that it’s not just about new promises, but also about holding countries responsible for the damage they already caused.
📜 This isn’t the first time the law has helped climate activists:
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In 2019, the Supreme Court of the Netherlands ruled that protecting people from climate change is a human right.
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In 2024, the European Court of Human Rights said countries must do better to protect people from climate effects.
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And this month, another court said countries should not just stop harming nature, but also help fix it.
🌎 Now, the world waits for what the ICJ will say.
Will this ruling be the turning point for our planet? One thing is clear—island nations have stood up, and the world is finally listening.
And what happens next… could change climate action forever.
