Statement by European Grandparents for Climate on the ICJ Advisory Opinion of 23 July 2025

We, the European Grandparents for Climate, warmly welcome the International Court of Justice’s Advisory Opinion of 23 July 2025 on the Obligations of States in Respect of Climate Change and express our deep satisfaction with this unequivocal ruling.

This landmark opinion leaves no doubt: the protection of the climate is not merely a political or economic consideration or option, but a fundamental matter of human rights. The Court has made it unmistakably clear that States have binding legal obligations to take strong and immediate action to combat climate change, in order to protect both present and future generations.

As an organization committed to climate justice and inter-generational responsibility, we strongly urge all States that recognize the authority of the ICJ to act swiftly and comprehensively in aligning their national policies and legislation with the present ruling. It also expresses that there is no time to lose.

This unanimous opinion underscores what science, ethics, and the voices of countless citizens have been saying for years: safeguarding our planet’s climate is not optional — it is a legal and moral imperative.

Let this be the long-awaited turning point.