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Courts Shaping Climate Law in 2025

In 2025, international courts are playing a crucial role in shaping climate law by holding countries and corporations accountable for environmental protection. Key rulings from the International Court of Justice and the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea emphasize the legal obligations to prevent climate harm and recognize greenhouse gases as marine pollution. Landmark judgments, such as the European Court of Human Rights' ruling against Switzerland, highlight the potential for legal accountability in climate inaction, marking a pivotal moment for climate governance.

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12 views2 pages

Courts Shaping Climate Law in 2025

In 2025, international courts are playing a crucial role in shaping climate law by holding countries and corporations accountable for environmental protection. Key rulings from the International Court of Justice and the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea emphasize the legal obligations to prevent climate harm and recognize greenhouse gases as marine pollution. Landmark judgments, such as the European Court of Human Rights' ruling against Switzerland, highlight the potential for legal accountability in climate inaction, marking a pivotal moment for climate governance.

Uploaded by

varungawande163
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

How Courts Are Driving A Turning Point In

International Climate Law in 2025

As climate change is getting worse day by day, we need international courts to step in and try
to do something about it. In 2025, the international courts, which are the most important, are
advising countries and big companies that have some accountability towards the protection of
people and the planet. Courts like the International Court of Justice, the International Tribunal
for the Law of the Sea, and human rights tribunals are issuing such decisions that could lead
to a powerful change in climate governance.
Climate obligation under international law: The major significant international court that
looks into international matters, which is the ICJ, in December 2024, held a public hearing on
a request of the UN (Resolution 77/276) to clarify to the countries and their governments how
they can fulfil legal requirements for the prevention of climate harm and protect the
vulnerable population. The advisory will come soon and will crucially guide the countries on
what stronger action they should take.

Another apex and significant court that governs international law, the International Tribunal
for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), issued an advisory on May 2024. It said that greenhouse
gases are contributing to and qualify as marine pollution under UNCLOS, and advised
countries to prevent and reduce emissions and reduce the climate-related damage, and protect
the sea.

On the other hand, the countries Colombia and Chile requested that the Inter-American Court
of Human Rights prepare to give them advice on climate change. It will say that neglecting
the climate change problem can be a violation of the fundamental rights of people.

The human rights and the domestic court


On 9 April 2024, the European Court of Human Rights said that Switzerland didn’t do
enough to fight climate change in the ruling of Klimaseniorinnen Schweiz v. Switzerland, and
inaction shows Switzerland has violated the right to private and family life under Article 8 of
the ECHR. This judgment shows that countries can be held accountable for their inactive and
weak climate policies under international law and human rights.

Conclusion
These cases can be a turning point in international climate law because the courts are
continuously interpreting the rules of accountability with advisory opinions and landmark
judgments. The year 2025 becomes a decisive moment in international climate law, and this
year is a defining year for justice both at the international and domestic levels.

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