The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution calling on the International Court of Justice to give an opinion on what obligations countries have in the light of international law on climate change measures. Although the opinions of the International Court of Justice are not legally binding, it will be interesting to see what kind of opinions are expressed as they may affect the policies of each country.
The resolution was compiled by Vanuatu, a Pacific island nation facing rising sea levels due to climate change, and was co-sponsored by more than 130 countries, including Japan.
Noting
that "climate change is an unprecedented challenge," the draft resolution states and explains what obligations they have to protect the environment from anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases, and
what legal responsibilities do States have
when they fail to take action and cause significant damage to the environment. It is calling on the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands, to issue its opinion in the light of international law.
The United Nations General Assembly discussed this draft resolution on the 29th and adopted it without a vote by the consensus of each country.
After the resolution, Vanuatu Prime Minister Karsakau emphasized the significance of the resolution, saying, "This is a historic resolution," and said, "I hope that the International Court of Justice will clarify what obligations each country should fulfill to deal with the global crisis."
Although the opinions of the International Court of Justice are not legally binding, it may affect the policies of each country, and it will be interesting to see what kind of opinions are expressed.