The United Nations' top court on Monday starts hearings on the legal obligation of countries to fight climate change and the consequences for states of contributing to global warming, the outcome of which could influence litigation worldwide.
The United Nations' top court on Monday starts hearings on the legal obligation of countries to fight climate change and the consequences for states of contributing to global warming, the outcome of which could influence litigation worldwide.
Vanuatu, one of the small island states that spearheaded the effort to get the International Court of Justice to give a so-called advisory opinion, will be the first of over a hundred states and international organisations to give their views in two weeks of proceedings starting at 10 a.m. (0900 GMT).
While the court's advisory opinions are not binding, they are legally and politically significant. Experts say the court's eventual opinion on climate change will likely be cited in climate change-driven lawsuits in courts from Europe to Latin America and beyond.
The hearings begin a week after developing nations denounced as woefully inadequate an agreement reached at the COP29 summit for countries to provide $300 billion in annual climate finance by 2035 to help poorer nations cope with climate change.
Ralph Regenvanu, Vanuatu's special envoy for climate change and the environment, said it was imperative fossil fuels be phased out and more money provided to poorer nations bearing the brunt of climate change, such as his Pacific island nation.
"We would like cumulative historical emissions that cause significant harm to the climate system to be declared unlawful," Regenvanu told Reuters.
Aside from small island states and numerous Western and developing countries, the court will also hear from the world's top two emitters of greenhouse gases, the United States and China. Oil producer group OPEC will also give its views.
The hearings will run until Dec. 13. The court's opinion is expected to be delivered in 2025.
The first-ever EU–Central Asia summit is being held in Samarkand, focusing on transport, green energy, and raw materials. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen outlined major projects to deepen regional cooperation.
Belgium and Vietnam have signed agreements to collaborate on green hydrogen production during King Philippe’s historic visit to Hanoi.
A new national forest stretching from the Cotswolds to the Mendips is set to be created, the UK government has announced. 20 million trees set to be planted across the West of England in the coming decades, creating at least 2,500 hectares of new woodland.
The African Development Bank Group has approved more than $31 million in funding through its African Climate Action Window (CAW) to enhance climate resilience in Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Djibouti, and Madagascar.
The lush river valleys of El Zaino y La Arenosa in western Panama, home to hundreds of families that eke out a living farming, fishing and raising cattle, could soon be submerged by a massive man-made reservoir designed to ensure the viability of the Panama Canal in the face of a changing climate.
Türkiye has firmly rejected Greece's unilateral actions and claims regarding maritime spatial planning (MSP) in the Aegean Sea and Eastern Mediterranean, asserting that these actions will have no legal consequences for Ankara.
A passenger boat caught fire and capsized late Tuesday on the Congo River, killing at least 50 people and leaving hundreds more missing, officials confirmed Wednesday. The tragedy occurred near the northwestern town of Mbandaka in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
A new wave of attacks targeting French prisons has emerged overnight, with cars set on fire at several facilities, including at the Tarascon prison in southern France.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi is set to visit Russia on Thursday, ahead of a second round of talks between Tehran and the United States regarding Iran's nuclear program. According to Russia’s RIA state news agency, Araqchi will meet with senior Russian officials during the visit.
Greece has submitted its long-awaited maritime spatial plan to the European Union, outlining how it will organize various maritime activities such as fishing, tourism, offshore energy, and more.
A small plane crashed near Kopake, New York, on April 13, killing at 6 people. The Mitsubishi MU-2B aircraft, carrying six people, went down under unclear circumstances. This marks the second aviation accident in New York in a week, raising safety concerns.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for April 10th, covering the latest developments you need to know.
A quiet Thursday afternoon at St. Peter’s Basilica turned into something extraordinary, as visitors caught a rare glimpse of Pope Francis — not in his familiar white papal robes, but dressed in black trousers and a striped blanket.
In a dramatic about-face, U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced a 90-day pause on newly implemented tariffs for dozens of countries — a move that eased market turmoil but further escalated tensions with China.
Several regions in Ukraine faced heightened alert on Palm Sunday, as reports of explosions and missile threats drew public attention and official responses.
The Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) reports that March 2025 was the second-warmest globally and the warmest on record in Europe, signaling ongoing changes in global climate trends.
China has unveiled an ambitious expansion of its renewable energy programme, pledging major investment in solar and wind infrastructure to boost clean energy to 40% of its power mix by 2030—marking a decisive shift toward grid integration and nationwide deployment.
The inaugural Samarkand International Climate Forum will kick off on 4th April at the Silk Road Samarkand Congress Center in Uzbekistan. The high-profile forum will be held under the theme "Central Asia Facing Global Climate Challenges: Consolidation for Shared Prosperity."
Brazil has named automotive industry executive Dan Ioschpe as its official “climate champion” for the COP30 summit, to be held in Belém this November.
Belgium and Vietnam have signed agreements to collaborate on green hydrogen production during King Philippe’s historic visit to Hanoi.
Türkiye has firmly rejected Greece's unilateral actions and claims regarding maritime spatial planning (MSP) in the Aegean Sea and Eastern Mediterranean, asserting that these actions will have no legal consequences for Ankara.
A passenger boat caught fire and capsized late Tuesday on the Congo River, killing at least 50 people and leaving hundreds more missing, officials confirmed Wednesday. The tragedy occurred near the northwestern town of Mbandaka in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
A new wave of attacks targeting French prisons has emerged overnight, with cars set on fire at several facilities, including at the Tarascon prison in southern France.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi is set to visit Russia on Thursday, ahead of a second round of talks between Tehran and the United States regarding Iran's nuclear program. According to Russia’s RIA state news agency, Araqchi will meet with senior Russian officials during the visit.
Greece has submitted its long-awaited maritime spatial plan to the European Union, outlining how it will organize various maritime activities such as fishing, tourism, offshore energy, and more.
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