Climate Justice: 'Bringing the World's Biggest Problem to the World's Highest Court'

Since this week, for two weeks ninety-eight States and twelve international organisations will participate in the oral proceedings before the Court, with the International Court of Justice (ICJ) delivering its Advisory Opinion on the matter in 2025.

Although not legally binding, Advisory Opinions from the ICJ carry huge weight and authority in the international community - so the case offers real hope that national governments will take the action that is needed to try to reverse the impacts of climate change. The climate change hearings represent the largest ever case before UN world court.

The public hearings of states and organsiations can be followed online via the Journal of the United Nations.

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Background: It was the culmination of five years of advocacy and activism by the campaign group World’s Youth for Climate Justice (WYCJ) and Pacific Island Students Fighting Climate Change. The WYCJ is an international movement that joined forces with Pacific youth to inspire this groundbreaking case being heard by the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

World’s Youth for Climate Justice was founded in 2019 after several young climate campaigners attended COP 25 in Madrid and were deeply moved by the plight of delegates from low-lying Pacific Islands. March 2023 marked a huge breakthrough in the international battle to combat climate change. Young people from around the world celebrated as the United Nations General Assembly voted unanimously to adopt a historic resolution requesting an Advisory Opinion on the ‘Obligations of States in respect of Climate Change’ at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague.

The group ‘Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change’ - led by Solomon Yeo - had already petitioned the Vanuatu government and standing up in front of the most powerful politicians in the world, describing in vivid detail how their low-lying islands are at catastrophic risk from rising sea levels caused by climate change.

For Aoife Fleming, a UN Youth Representative from the Netherlands, Solomon’s speech was a call to action. She, along with fellow young COP delegates from the Philippines, South Africa, Germany, and other nations - were so affected by Solomon’s presentation, they resolved to mobilize young people all over the world to join forces in the name of climate justice.

“I’d always thought our advocacy was for the benefit of future generations, but, listening to Solomon, I realised, this is not a future threat, it is happening right now. And not enough is being done. It was clear we needed to take this fight from a negotiated process where the lowest common denominator wins, to the world’s highest Court. Young people have a powerful voice when it comes to climate justice - but that voice becomes louder still when we come together to fight for a common cause.” Aoife Fleming, Co-Founder and Chair of WYCJ.