Hearings on countries’ obligations due to climate change begin at the International Court of Justice
Today, the International Court of Justice of the United Nations began the first hearings, the purpose of which is to determine the obligations of countries in the fight against climate change in accordance with international law. This process is the largest of its kind in the history of the world judicial system, informs DW.
The hearings will last two weeks and could lay the groundwork for establishing global legal norms in the field of climate policy. Special attention will be paid to Vanuatu and other Pacific island nations that are most affected by the effects of climate change.
“We want the court to confirm that the actions that destroyed the climate are illegal”, ‒ Margaretha Weverinke-Singh, head of the Vanuatu legal group, told the agency.
More than a hundred countries and organizations are expected to submit their statements in the case, a record for the court in The Hague. This initiative by the International Court of Justice of the United Nations is an important step in creating global mechanisms of legal responsibility for the actions causing the climate crisis. It should also strengthen international law in the field of environmental safety.
