Landmark court opinion shows the power of the youth climate movement

The Advisory Opinion last month by International Court of Justice on the obligations that states have with regard to climate justice was thanks to years of advocacy by the World’s Youth for Climate Justice. Now it must lead to action on fossil fuels

Activists demonstrate last month outside the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands, ahead of an advisory opinion on what legal obligations nations have to address climate change and what consequences they may face if they don't. File photo: AP/Peter Dejong

Last month, the world witnessed the power of youth. Years of advocacy led to an Advisory Opinion from the world’s highest court that states must take urgent action to prevent harm to the climate system, including by tackling fossil fuels, or face real legal consequences.

The campaign to bring climate justice before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) began with law students from the University of the South Pacific and grew to a worldwide movement, World’s Youth for Climate Justice.