Reuters: International court to begin hearings that may shape global climate litigation
International court to begin hearings that may shape global climate litigation
By Stephanie van den Berg
November 29, 2024 8:47 AM EST
Summary- Court to give opinion on legal obligations around climate
- Process pushed by small island states
- ICJ opinion is non-binding but likely to influence litigation
- US, China expected to present arguments
THE HAGUE, Nov 29 (Reuters) - The United Nations' top court next week begins hearings on the legal obligation of countries to fight climate change and the consequences for states of contributing to global warming, the outcome of which could influence litigation worldwide.
While the advisory opinions of the International Court of Justice's (ICJ) are non-binding, they are legally and politically significant. Experts say the ICJ's eventual opinion on climate change will likely be cited in climate change-driven lawsuits in courts from Europe to Latin America and beyond.
The hearings begin a week after developing nations denounced as woefully inadequate
an agreement reached at the COP29 summit for countries to provide $300 billion in annual climate finance by 2035 to help poorer nations cope with climate change.
Ralph Regenvanu, Vanuatu's special envoy for climate change and the environment, said it was imperative fossil fuels be phased out and more money provided to poorer nations bearing the brunt of climate change, such as his Pacific island nation.