2025 will see the International Court of Justice (ICJ) deliver a historic advisory opinion on the legal responsibilities of States to combat climate change. This marks the first time the ICJ has addressed climate change, a milestone made possible by the grassroots activism of the Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change (PISFCC) and the determination of small island nations. With 91 written statements filed by States and a record of 97 States and 11 organisations participating in oral proceedings, this is the ICJ’s largest proceedings to date, and it will define how international law responds to the climate crisis.
CEI’s Symposium on Global South Perspectives on the ICJ Climate Case will explore legal arguments presented in submissions, their regional implications and how the Advisory Opinion could share the future of climate governance, focusing on those States and regions traditionally excluded from discourse. Despite bearing the brunt of climate change, from rising sea levels to extreme weather, the Global South is often sidelined in international legal and policy discussions. This Symposium seeks to centre the perspectives of these States, examining how the Advisory Opinion could shape their legal and policy landscapes. By amplifying the voices of scholars and young people from or based in the Global South, it aims to broaden the discourse and highlight the concerns of those on the frontlines of the climate crisis.
