Climate-Vulnerable States Vindicated in the Hague: A First Look at the International Court of Justice’s Climate Advisory Opinion

July 30, 2025

Corina Heri

On Wednesday, July 23, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the Hague issued its long-awaited advisory opinion on climate change, thereby concluding the biggest-ever proceedings before the “World Court.” This landmark opinion, while not legally binding in its own right, carries major persuasive legal weight. Given the legal and moral authority of the Court, the quality and scope of its reasoning and the scale of participation by States and international organizations in the proceedings, this opinion is sure to inform international litigation, U.N. Conference of Party negotiations (in the context of the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement), and domestic procedures going forward. This article analyzes some of the key points among those the Court covered in its 140-page opinion.

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