The United Nations General Assembly has adopted a resolution proposed by the South Pacific island nation of Vanuatu to seek a legal opinion from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on what legal obligations nations are under to protect climate systems and people affected by climate change.The court’s opinion will now be sought on what the legal consequences are for states that, “by their acts and omissions”, cause such harm to the climate that it affects others, particularly small island nations and their citizens who are among the most vulnerable to the effects of climatic change.Co-sponsored by 132 countries at the UN, the resolution was adopted on Wednesday by a consensus. The UN is now empowered to seek the ICJ’s opinion regarding the legal obligations that states are under – and the consequences if they fail – to protect current and future generations from climate change.
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