UN: Failing to act on climate change is a violation of international law

The long and much-anticipated International Court of Justice (ICJ) opinion on climate change today ruled that a “clean, healthy and sustainable environment” is a human right.

That paves the way for other legal actions, including states returning to the ICJ to hold each other accountable for causing climate change, as well as domestic lawsuits, along with legal instruments like investment agreements.

The opinion was unanimous — marking only the fifth time in the UN’s 88-year history that a unanimous decision was made.

You can read the formal press release outlining the opinion here.

Island nations at critical risk of being washed away by the rising seas formally requested an advisory opinion on the issue more than two years ago.