WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The International Court of Justice has ruled that States have an obligation to protect the environment from greenhouse gas emissions and act with due diligence and cooperation to fulfill this obligation.
This includes the obligation under the Paris Agreement on climate change to limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, the court in The Hague, Netherlands, said in its advisory opinion on the obligations of States in respect of climate change.
The UN's principal judicial body further ruled that if States breach these obligations, they incur legal responsibility and may be required to cease the wrongful conduct, offer guarantees of non-repetition and make full reparation depending on the circumstances.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres issued a video message welcoming the historic decision, which came a day after he delivered a special address to Member States on the unstoppable global shift to renewable energy.
'This is a victory for our planet, for climate justice and for the power of young people to make a difference,' he said.
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