[GUEST ACCESS MODE: Data is scrambled or limited to provide examples. Make requests using your API key to unlock full data. Check https://lunarcrush.ai/auth for authentication information.]  PBS News [@NewsHour](/creator/twitter/NewsHour) on x 1.2M followers Created: 2025-07-23 23:35:54 UTC The top court at the United Nations said Wednesday that countries must protect their citizens from the effects of climate change — and if they failed to protect the planet, they could be breaking international law. In its unanimous, non-binding advisory opinion, the International Court of Justice said that treaties addressing climate change "set forth binding obligations" for countries "to ensure the protection of the climate system and other parts of the environment" from greenhouse gas emissions. The court also said that when a country breaches a climate change treaty it has signed, it "constitutes an internationally wrongful act entailing the responsibility of that State." While the court has no mechanism to enforce its statement, the opinion could influence international law, legal questions in individual nations and future global negotiations over climate change and emissions. More than XXX countries, led by the Pacific island nation of Vanuatu, backed the case, which was argued before the court in The Hague late last year.  XXXXXX engagements  **Related Topics** [countries](/topic/countries) [Post Link](https://x.com/NewsHour/status/1948165203754947019)
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PBS News @NewsHour on x 1.2M followers
Created: 2025-07-23 23:35:54 UTC
The top court at the United Nations said Wednesday that countries must protect their citizens from the effects of climate change — and if they failed to protect the planet, they could be breaking international law.
In its unanimous, non-binding advisory opinion, the International Court of Justice said that treaties addressing climate change "set forth binding obligations" for countries "to ensure the protection of the climate system and other parts of the environment" from greenhouse gas emissions. The court also said that when a country breaches a climate change treaty it has signed, it "constitutes an internationally wrongful act entailing the responsibility of that State."
While the court has no mechanism to enforce its statement, the opinion could influence international law, legal questions in individual nations and future global negotiations over climate change and emissions.
More than XXX countries, led by the Pacific island nation of Vanuatu, backed the case, which was argued before the court in The Hague late last year.
XXXXXX engagements
Related Topics countries