The largest case in the history of the United Nations’ top court began Monday, with a group of small island nations seeking legal action against major polluting countries to address the existential threat posed by climate change.
The case centers on the survival of these island nations, which face rising sea levels and increasingly intense storms as a result of global warming. The plaintiffs are calling for the world’s biggest polluters to be held accountable for their contributions to the climate crisis.
Fifteen judges from around the world will address two key questions: What are countries legally required to do under international law to protect the climate and environment from human-caused greenhouse gas emissions? And what are the legal consequences for governments whose actions, or lack thereof, have significantly harmed the climate and environment?
Over the next two weeks, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) will hear from 99 countries and more than a dozen intergovernmental organizations, making this the largest lineup in the court’s nearly 80-year history.
