SEO Riders:
– Vanuatu hails ICJ’s climate opinion as a watershed moment for international environmental justice.
– Court affirms states’ duties under customary law to prevent greenhouse gas harm and compensate affected nations.
– Ruling expected to catalyze diplomatic action at UNGA and push for implementation at COP30.
Vanuatu has officially commended the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for its historic advisory opinion issued on July 23, 2025, which affirms that every nation—regardless of treaty status—holds binding responsibilities under international law to combat climate change and protect present and future generations. The court found that failure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions or regulate polluting activities can be deemed an internationally wrongful act, with states now exposed to legal obligations like cessation of harmful conduct, guarantees against recurrence, and reparations where harm is scientifically attributable.
Vanuatu’s Climate Change Minister Ralph Regenvanu hailed the decision as a transformative legal foundation, stating it moves global climate action beyond voluntary commitments toward a rule-of-law framework. The country emphasized this ruling will be brought back to the UN General Assembly and carried into the COP30 climate talks, calling on major emitters to heed legal accountability, expand climate finance, and ensure justice for vulnerable nations. Environmental advocates, including SPREP, echoed praise, highlighting the court ruling as pivotal for elevating the legal status of environmental rights and intergenerational equity.
