UN Experts Urge States to Honour ICJ Climate Opinion Ahead of COP30 Talks
The upcoming Just Transition Work Programme, expected to be adopted at COP30, should help countries design fair, worker-focused transitions toward renewable energy systems.
As nations prepare for the UN Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Belém, Brazil, a group of UN human rights and environmental experts has urged governments to negotiate in good faith and align their actions with the International Court of Justice (ICJ) Advisory Opinion on states’ obligations concerning climate change.
In a joint statement released in Geneva, the experts emphasized that states must act urgently and effectively to fulfill their legal duties under international law to protect the climate system, prevent environmental degradation, and safeguard human rights.
“States must urgently and effectively advance the implementation of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement, as interpreted by the International Court of Justice,” the experts said. “These obligations are not optional; they are legal and moral imperatives.”
Upholding Legal and Human Rights Obligations
The ICJ Advisory Opinion, requested by the UN General Assembly earlier this year, clarified that states have binding obligations under international law to prevent climate-related harm and protect the global environment.
Echoing the Court’s interpretation, the UN experts highlighted that states must comply not only with the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement, but also with other international treaties, including the Convention on Biological Diversity, the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, and the Convention on the Law of the Sea.
The Advisory Opinion aligns with rulings by other international bodies such as the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, both of which have affirmed that environmental protection and human rights are inseparable.
“All States have stringent due diligence obligations to protect the environment and the climate system,” the experts stressed. “Integrated action on mitigation, adaptation, conservation, and restoration of ecosystems is essential to prevent disproportionate harm to those in vulnerable situations.”
States Must Regulate Polluting Sectors and Cooperate Globally
The experts called on governments to regulate emissions-intensive industries, ensure accountability of both public and private actors, and strengthen international cooperation to address global emissions.
They warned that past and ongoing violations of climate obligations may entail state responsibility to provide reparations, including restoring ecosystems, compensating affected communities, and revoking measures that contribute to environmental damage.
“States must effectively regulate, monitor, and control actors in emissions-intensive sectors,” the statement said. “They must ensure that climate obligations are implemented inclusively, recognizing the needs and rights of Indigenous Peoples, peasants, people of African descent, displaced persons, and children.”
The experts also reminded that business enterprises have responsibilities under international human rights law to assess, prevent, and remedy their environmental and climate impacts — particularly in sectors linked to fossil fuels, deforestation, and resource extraction.
A Call for Credible Outcomes at COP30
The experts underscored that the credibility of COP30 hinges on achieving a meaningful and measurable outcome in three critical areas:
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Mitigation commitments, especially relating to the phaseout of fossil fuels and the end of harmful subsidies.
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International finance and technology transfers to help developing nations achieve climate goals.
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Human rights integration across all climate policies, particularly ensuring that economic and environmental transitions are just, inclusive, and equitable.
They stressed that fossil fuel dependency remains the primary driver of the climate crisis, with far-reaching impacts on health, livelihoods, education, and equality.
The Importance of the Just Transition Work Programme
The upcoming Just Transition Work Programme, expected to be adopted at COP30, should help countries design fair, worker-focused transitions toward renewable energy systems. The experts urged states to involve communities, trade unions, and civil society in co-developing these strategies.
The ICJ’s Advisory Opinion, they noted, reaffirmed that the human right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment is “a precondition and essential element” for the enjoyment of all other rights.
“The Just Transition Work Programme should ensure that renewables-based transformations are fair and inclusive,” the experts said. “Workers and communities must be active partners in building a sustainable future.”
Protecting Civil Society and Reducing Fossil Fuel Influence
In a strong message to UNFCCC organizers, the experts reiterated calls to curb the influence of fossil fuel lobbyists at COP meetings and to protect environmental human rights defenders, journalists, and activists who advocate for stronger climate action.
They emphasized that transparency, public participation, and meaningful dialogue with civil society are essential to achieving effective and just climate outcomes.
“COP30 must not only be about policy but about people,” the statement said. “Ensuring the safety and inclusion of environmental defenders and marginalized voices is vital to building a credible, accountable, and just climate process.”
A Defining Moment for Global Climate Justice
With COP30 set to be hosted for the first time in the Amazonian city of Belém, a symbolic epicenter of both climate vulnerability and ecological importance, the experts said the conference presents a historic opportunity to embed justice and human rights at the heart of global climate governance.
The ICJ’s legal interpretation, they concluded, places a clear responsibility on every government to act decisively, cooperatively, and transparently in addressing the climate emergency.
“This is a defining moment for international law and global climate justice,” they declared. “States must rise to the occasion — not just for the planet’s ecosystems, but for the people whose lives and rights depend on them.”
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