On July, 26, 2024, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) handed down its long-awaited Advisory Opinion on the legal obligations of States in relation to climate change.

As Australia’s courts rule yet again that climate is outside their jurisdiction, the ICJ made it a legal obligation for countries to act on the crisis.

Legal jurisdictions can no longer wring their hands in anguish and complain that they do not have enough authority or precedence to rule on matters relating to climate change.

The world's wealthiest nations have a legal obligation to reduce heat-trapping pollution and will have to pay up if they do ...