The global climate protection agenda takes centre stage at the UN, in the largest case in the world courts (ICJ) history a week after the hearings came a week after COP29, which almost failed to reach accord.
Global climate protection agenda
The UN’s top court begins landmark hearings Monday on global climate protection guidelines. Vanuatu and Pacific island nations lead proceedings before 15 judges.
The hearings came a week after COP29, when wealthy nations agreed to provide $300 billion per year in climate finance for developing nations — an outcome critics slammed as inadequate.
Over two weeks, 100+ countries and organisations, the highest-ever number will present reports on safeguarding vulnerable nations from climate change impacts.
What will the Global climate protection hearings do?
The hearing will attempt to answer key questions as to what countries should do to fight climate change and, critically, what should they do to repair damages linked to rising temperatures.
While the outcome is not legally binding, it could give extra weight to climate change lawsuits all over the world.
It is the largest case in the world courts history
The global climate protection guideline case is the largest case in the world court’s 80-year history. It will hear from 99 countries and more than a dozen intergovernmental organizations over two weeks.
The outcome of the hearings could result in grounds for establishing legal obligations worldwide.
The hearings will continue until December 13. The court’s opinion is expected to be delivered in 2025.
Climate change corruption
One of the issues with climate change is how it has become so corrupt. So many companies are manipulating the regulations and finding of reports to suit their commercial purposes.
Companies are using off-shoots or funded think tanks to propose reports that are skewered in their favour and thus do not present the truth.
One of these methods is by claiming they are Net Zero, legally, companies are buying certificates from the lowest bidder to offset their greenhouse emissions and in some cases, using ventures, which are funded by climate change initiatives to trade emsions.
Carbon markets – a key part of climate finance – allow governments and non-state actors to trade greenhouse gas emission credits to help reduce global emissions. There are two types: compliance and voluntary markets.
The UN acknowledges that – it states on its website, ‘While significant funds and efforts have been invested in the climate change mitigation, adaptation and resilience, corruption can distort decision making.’
Read more opinions on the story
The Irish News – Climate change case to open at UN court as island nations fear rising seas
France 24 – UN top court opens landmark hearings on climate protection guidelines
TED Talk on Climate Change
What is the world court?
The world court is the International Court of Justice based in the Hague, in the Netherlands. It is one of the 6 organs of the United Nations
What are Carbon markets?
Carbon markets are virtual markets where corporation and countries can go and buy services that offset against their emissions.