The Existential Problem of Climate Change: The International Court of Justice’s Call to Action

After years of advocacy by Pacific Island nations and climate litigation worldwide, the International Court of Justice added its voice in July with a landmark Advisory Opinion that highlighted climate change as “an existential problem of planetary proportions.” The unanimous panel of judges representing every continent added force to countries’ commitments under the Paris Agreement, tied climate action to the human right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, and expanded the role of international law in addressing the crisis. Will this Advisory Opinion spur serious action to counter the existential threat of climate change – or is this a cry in the wind?

Please join Professor Annecoos Wiersema, Associate Dean of Graduate and International Legal Programs, Professor of Law and Professor Kelley Loper, Director of the Ved Nanda Center, Professor of Law, as they provide an overview of the ICJ’s Advisory Opinion and discuss its implications for international law, international environmental law, and international human rights law.

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