Judges with the United Nations’s top court say in a landmark climate decision that a “clean, healthy and sustainable environment” is a human right.
The International Court of Justice is delivering an advisory opinion Wednesday about nations’ obligations to tackle climate change and consequences they may face if they don’t.
The non-binding opinion, which runs to over 500 pages, is seen as a potential turning point in international climate law. Enshrining a sustainable environment as a human right paves the way for other legal actions, including states returning to the ICJ to hold each other to account, as well as domestic lawsuits.
“The human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment is therefore inherent in the enjoyment of other human rights,” court President Yuji Iwasawa said.
The decision could serve as the basis for other legal actions, including domestic lawsuits, and legal instruments like investment agreements.
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Author: JBaron
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