Pakistan welcomes ICJ ruling on climate change

ISLAMABD, JULY 24 (DNA):Pakistan has welcomed the landmark advisory opinion delivered by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the obligations of states regarding climate change.

The opinion underscored the legal responsibilities of states under international law to address climate-related harm and highlighted the global urgency of the climate crisis.

The Attorney General for Pakistan, Mansoor Usman Awan, who presented Pakistan’s oral submissions before the ICJ in April, had emphasised in court that climate harm prevention must be treated as a shared duty.

“It is an obligation that transcends borders and demands stringent diligence from every State,” he had said.

The court supported several key positions put forward by Pakistan. Firstly, the ICJ confirmed that the longstanding principle of preventing significant environmental harm, recognised under customary international law, applies directly to greenhouse gas emissions caused by human activity. This obliges countries to take strong action to prevent transboundary environmental damage resulting from activities within their borders.

Secondly, the ICJ held that climate agreements such as the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement do not override the broader duty of prevention under general international law. Pakistan had argued that such treaties should not be treated as overriding special legal regimes.

Thirdly, the ICJ acknowledged the extraterritorial application of human rights obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) in scenarios where a state allows activities within its territory that negatively impact human rights beyond its borders.

This confirmation aligns with Pakistan’s submission that States bear human rights responsibilities when their actions or omissions lead to significant climate-related harm affecting individuals in other States.

Pakistan had earlier submitted two written statements to the ICJ in 2024 and presented its oral argument in April 2025.

Calling the ruling a critical step forward, Pakistan urged all states to take their climate responsibilities seriously. As one of the country’s most significantly impacted by climate-induced events, the government urged all nations to comply rigorously with their legal obligations and to strengthen global collaborative efforts.