ICJ Ruling: 'High Time for Age of Impunity to End'

That states' climate plans, called nationally determined contributions under the Paris Agreement, must be of the highest ambition and aimed to limit warming to 1.5 deg C above pre-industrial levels, a key limit backed by scientific research.

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Many nations have yet to submit their updated climate plans to the UN this year and the ICJ opinion could lead some governments to rethink, and possibly strengthen, them ahead of COP30.

"The ICJ ruling reflects the demand for climate justice. The 1.5 deg C temperature threshold is a legal obligation, and the fossil fuel industry and particularly petrostates cannot continue to argue that staying within 1.5 deg C is optional," said Ms Vesga Correa.

INTENSE INTEREST

What makes this ICJ opinion a bit different is the sheer level of interest and support from nations.

The Pacific island state of Vanuatu, a nation acutely affected by climate-linked disasters, championed a student-led effort to place questions of states' climate obligations before the ICJ.

In 2023, the UN General Assembly unanimously supported a resolution for the ICJ to consider states' obligations.

The court's public hearings in late 2024 generated huge global interest. A total of 96 states—including Singapore and the US and 11 international organizations—presented oral arguments, along with 91 written statements and 62 follow-up comments.

The unprecedented level of participation is proof the court's opinion matters, said Ms Reisch.