A transformative international decision stirred environmentalists, advocates, progressive politicians, and social justice defenders around the world this July: in response to the growing threat of global warming, the International Court of Justice (ICJ), known as the World Court, issued an opinion that opens the door for polluting countries to be held accountable for the environmental damage they have caused. Although it holds great symbolic and legal significance, the opinion is not binding—meaning countries are not legally required to comply. It serves more as guidance on the issue.
But let’s not lose hope: despite not being mandatory, the document carries unprecedented weight that can indeed positively influence practice. It is a legal opinion that, even without imposing immediate obligations, can strengthen court cases, support advocacy campaigns, and increase diplomatic pressure on major polluters.
This decision offers a powerful tool that can—and should—be used by those fighting for climate justice. For instance, in Brazil, legal actions and civil society mobilizations can rely on this new international framework to demand more effective responses and ensure environmental protection connected to the rights to life, health, adequate food, and food security.
The journey of this opinion is itself a legacy for global civil society: the initiative came from young law students in the Pacific Islands—regions often excluded from major international debates but experiencing the most severe impacts of climate change. According to a BBC News report, by organizing this initiative, these young people mobilized vulnerable countries and inspired a wave of international solidarity and engagement.
The ICJ’s opinion is a watershed moment not only for international climate law but also for the future of global food systems, access to adequate food, and the fight against hunger. Food security is directly threatened by climate change, and the ICJ’s decision can strengthen local actions for climate and food justice by empowering civil society and consumers to demand transparency, traceability, and respect for human rights throughout the food supply chain.
According to a study published in Nature Food and shared by the UN, food systems are responsible for more than one-third of human-induced global greenhouse gas emissions—an alarming fact that underscores the urgent need to rethink how we produce, consume, and distribute food. And now we are legally better equipped to demand such transformations.
This transformation, however, must recognize that feeding humanity and conserving ecosystems are complementary and deeply interdependent goals, as highlighted in the FAO report The State of the World’s Forests. Human and forest health go hand in hand, and many populations directly depend on these ecosystems for their food and nutritional security. This vision is, in fact, the foundation of the Forests4Food campaign, promoted by Ação da Cidadania, the SDG2 Advocacy Hub, and other supporters. You can join us by signing the petition here: https://www.forests4food.org
The climate crisis also directly impacts agriculture: extreme events such as droughts, floods, and the spread of pests and diseases reduce productivity, yields, and the nutritional quality of food—as warned by the FAO’s Director of Climate and Biodiversity in an interview at COP 30. Today, more than 700 million people go hungry worldwide, and climate change is one of the central causes of this tragedy.
Healthy, sustainable, and accessible food must become a core solution to the climate crisis. The ICJ’s decision is a call for collective responsibility and the urgency of a just food transition. It is up to us to turn this new international legal milestone into concrete action, accelerating the shift toward more just, sustainable, and resilient food systems.
What does this case teach us about public participation in the Conference of the Parties? The advocacy effort shows that grassroots pressure—led by youth, social movements, and affected communities—can generate real change on the global stage.
There is now unprecedented international legal support, and grassroots movements and new actors have more tools to demand justice, advocate for public policy, and hold major emitters accountable. If the opinion of the world court’s judges can reshape climate justice and impact laws worldwide, then climate activism is far from futile. This is a valuable lesson, especially on the road to COP 30: only ongoing, creative, and well-founded mobilization can turn historic decisions into real progress in climate change mitigation and adaptation.
Source:
G1. Mudança climática: Corte Internacional de Justiça emite parecer histórico sobre países poluidores. Jornal da Globo. [S.l.]: G1, 2025. Disponível em: https://g1.globo.com/jornal-da-globo/video/mudanca-climatica-corte-internacional-de-justica-emite-parecer-historico-sobre-paises-poluidores-13783457.ghtml.
STALLARD, Esme; RANNARD, Georgina. Top UN court says countries can sue each other over climate change. BBC News, 2024. Disponível em:https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ce379k4v3pwo.
ONU BRASIL. Por Eleutério Guevane: Corte Internacional de Justiça afirma que mudanças climáticas são “ameaça urgente e existencial”. Disponível em: https://news.un.org/pt/story/2025/07/1850532#:~:text=Por%20Eleut%C3%A9rio%20Guevane*&text=A%20Corte%20Internacional%20de%20Justi%C3%A7a,uma%20amea%C3%A7a%20urgente%20e%20existencial%E2%80%9D.
G1. Em parecer histórico, o Tribunal Mundial afirma que as mudanças climáticas são uma ameaça existencial. Disponível em: https://g1.globo.com/meio-ambiente/noticia/2025/07/23/em-parecer-historico-o-tribunal-mundial-afirma-que-as-mudancas-climaticas-sao-uma-ameaca-existencial.ghtml.
ONU BRASIL. Sistemas alimentares são responsáveis por mais de um terço das emissões globais de gases de efeito estufa. Disponível em: https://brasil.un.org/pt-br/115817-sistemas-alimentares-s%C3%A3o-respons%C3%A1veis-por-mais-de-um-ter%C3%A7o-das-emiss%C3%B5es-globais-de-gases-de#:~:text=O%20Relat%C3%B3rio%20Especial%20do%20Painel,reduzir%20nossas%20lacunas%20de%20conhecimento.
COP30 BRASIL. “A mudança do clima e os conflitos são razões que provocam a insegurança alimentar”, declara diretor da FAO. Disponível em: https://cop30.br/pt-br/noticias-da-cop30/a-mudanca-do-clima-e-os-conflitos-sao-razoes-que-provocam-a-inseguranca-alimentar-declara-diretor-da-fao.
FAO. The State of the World’s Forests 2020. Disponível em: https://openknowledge.fao.org/server/api/core/bitstreams/8f8f2820-6df4-4746-9295-e9356148f8a2/content/CA8642EN.html#chapter-Key_message.