ICJ begins hearings in landmark climate change case

The largest case in the history of the United Nations’ top court began on Monday in The Hague. At the heart of the case, a group of small island nations, are fighting for their very survival in the face of climate change.

These nations, which already face rising sea levels and more intense storms, are calling for the world’s biggest polluters to be held accountable for their role in the climate crisis.

Fifteen judges from around the world will seek to answer two questions: What are countries obliged to do under international law to protect the climate and environment from human-caused greenhouse gas emissions? And what are the legal consequences for governments where their acts, or lack of action, have significantly harmed the climate and environment?

Over the next two weeks, the court will hear from 99 countries and more than a dozen intergovernmental organizations. It’s the largest lineup in the institution’s nearly 80-year history.