(23 Jul 2025)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
The Hague, Netherlands – 23 July 2025
1. Various views of climate change protestors celebrating during reading of ruling
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Jule Schnakenberg, World’s Youth for Climate Justice:
“I think the language on fossil fuels is extremely strong and that phasing out fossil fuels and not doing that is an internationally wrongful act and that’s extremely strong, and that gives campaigners, litigators, policy makers a lot more of a stronger tool, domestically and internationally.”
3. Schnakenberg and Siosiua Alo Veikune, Pacific Island Students for Climate Change, hugging friends and celebrating
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Siosiua Alo Veikune, Pacific Island Students for Climate Change:
“I think the most obvious one was the fossil fuel language around this, the discussion around the simple use or licensing of fossil fuels extraction alone already empowers so many campaigns pushing for fossil fuel phase-out in different ways, regional and international. And that’s what this advisory opinion has ultimately done, is strengthen those campaigns, strengthen those demands in these spaces. I think that was the more obvious and most surprising one I would say. My ears are in disbelief as I’ve been telling everyone, it’s a good day for the movement.”
5. Various of youth climate change protestors chanting outside ICJ
STORYLINE:
Youth climate change protestors welcomed Wednesday a landmark advisory opinion delivered by the United Nations’ top court which said countries could be in violation of international law if they fail to take measures to protect the planet from climate change, and nations harmed by its effects could be entitled to reparations.
Advocates immediately cheered the International Court of Justice opinion on nations’ obligations to tackle climate change and the consequences they may face if they don’t.
The non-binding opinion was hailed as a turning point in international climate law.
Notably, the court said a “clean, healthy and sustainable environment” is a human right.
That paves the way for other legal actions, including states returning to the ICJ to hold each other to account as well as domestic lawsuits, along with legal instruments like investment agreements.
The case was led by the Pacific island nation of Vanuatu and backed by more than 130 countries.
All U.N. member states including major greenhouse gas emitters like the United States and China are parties to the court.
Climate activists had gathered outside the crowded court with a banner that read: “Courts have spoken. The law is clear. States must ACT NOW.”
They watched the ruling on a giant screen, clapping and cheering at times during the two-hour hearing.
When it was over, others emerged from the courtroom laughing and hugging.
AP video shot by Mark Carlson
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