Pacific Island students who launched a legal push in 2019 won a major victory Wednesday when the International Court of Justice ruled that countries can be held liable for climate harm, setting a new legal standard for state obligations.
Sera Sefeti reports for The Guardian.
In short:
- The ICJ opinion expands nations’ climate obligations beyond the Paris Agreement, linking them to human rights and customary international law.
- The ruling allows vulnerable communities to seek reparations for damages caused by fossil fuel–driven climate change.
- The case began with 27 Pacific law students and was later adopted by Vanuatu and supported by a global youth climate movement.
Key quote:
“No more excuses. Those who fuel this crisis must stop the harm and help repair it.”
— Rufino Varea, director of the Pacific Islands Climate Network
Why this matters:
The court’s opinion signals a shift in how international law treats climate change, turning what was once a political debate into a legal question of accountability. By recognizing a duty to prevent harm and linking climate damage to human rights, it opens the door to lawsuits seeking compensation from major emitters. For island nations already facing rising seas and intensifying storms, this ruling could reshape negotiations over loss and damage funding and influence future climate treaties. It also raises questions for industrialized countries about their exposure to legal claims and the costs of continued fossil fuel dependence. The decision may ripple far beyond the Pacific, providing a template for climate justice campaigns worldwide.
Related: Pacific island nations demand faster climate action from wealthy countries ahead of Cop30
