The International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague issued a historic advisory opinion on climate change, declaring it an "urgent and existential threat." The court stated that greenhouse gas emissions are unequivocally caused by human activities and have cross-border effects. The advisory opinion, requested by the United Nations General Assembly in 2023 following years of lobbying by vulnerable island nations, is non-binding but holds significant weight in establishing international obligations.

Vanuatu led a group of small states advocating for international legal intervention in the climate crisis impacting numerous South Pacific island nations.

Impact Statement: The ICJ's advisory opinion could influence future climate negotiations and legal actions related to climate change.