On 23 July 2025, the International Court of Justice, the highest court of the United Nations, issued a landmark advisory opinion stating that nations can be held legally accountable for their greenhouse gas emissions.
ICLEI Secretary General Gino Van Begin issued this statement on the opinion:
ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability welcomes the International Court of Justice’s landmark advisory opinion affirming that states have binding obligations under international law to protect the climate system and can be held accountable for climate-related harm. This is a powerful recognition of the principles of climate justice and shared responsibility. The Court’s acknowledgment of the urgent, existential threat posed by climate change – and the legal liability for inaction – adds critical momentum to the global push for stronger, science-based and inclusive climate action.
As the level of government closest to communities, local and regional governments are already experiencing and responding to the devastating effects of climate change. ICLEI as the LGMA Focal Point to the UNFCCC, urges national governments to act in line with the ICJ’s findings by raising ambition, phasing out fossil fuels, and ensuring that the next round of NDCs, to be submitted before COP30 in Belém in November 2025 reflects meaningful multilevel collaboration, as set out in the Paris Agreement and the outcomes of COP28 and COP29.
ICLEI particularly welcomes the leadership of governments and stakeholders of the Pacific Islands, including youth. ICLEI stands ready to support this legal and moral imperative through our work on the ground, collaborating with more than 2,500 local and regional governments worldwide committed to sustainability. Our network’s work is validated and motivated by this important opinion.