Countries are required to protect climate, says International Court of Appeal in the Vanuatu case

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) judge that countries have the obligation to protect the climate and prevent damage. States take insufficient measures, they may violate international law. That is what Yuji Iwasawa, the chairman of the Court, said in The Hague on Wednesday at the climate shop that was filed by island state Vanuatu.

“A clean, healthy and sustainable environment is a human right,” says the court. It calls climate change a “urgent and existential” threat to humanity. “The failure of a state to take appropriate measures to protect the climate system […] Can be an international unlawful act. “

The ruling is not binding. It is a so -called Advisory Opinion. This is an advice that serves as a adviser for, among other things, international law and worldwide climate policy. The advice is expected to have a major precedent effect and will be heavily weighing in other climate issues worldwide.

Future generations

In the exceptionally large case that Vanuatu encouraged, 98 countries and 12 international organizations testified at the end of last year. The central question was what obligations states have according to international law to protect the climate system and the environment for the benefit of other states and future generations. In line with this, it was about what legal consequences that cause any obligations for countries that have caused a lot of damage.

The lawsuit is largely about climate justice. A small country like Vanuatu has contributed relatively little to climate change, but sighs under the consequences due to the low -lying location. Moreover, it has few options for combating climate change.

The lawsuit, which emerged from a campaign of law students from the University of the South Pacific on the island of Fiji, received support from 1,500 organizations, including many global and local environmental organizations. The resolution of Vanuatu to go to the International Court of Appeal was adopted by 132 countries in the UN general meeting.

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