The Pacific Island of Vanuatu is asking the International Court of Justice to make a ruling on the climate crisis.
That would include legal consequences for causing significant environmental harm. And the move has the backing of Australia.
Vanuatu will soon put a resolution to the U.N. General Assembly seeking an opinion on the legal obligations that countries have to act on climate change.
The resolution asks the ICJ to pay attention to the harm experienced by small island developing nations that are vulnerable to climate effects.
The Guardian reported that Australia has committed to co-sponsoring Vanuatu’s resolution at the U.N., joining at least 69 other countries.
The draft resolution asks the court to lay out the legal consequences for countries that have caused significant harm to the environment.
Australia has previously expressed support for Vanuatu’s initiative in broad terms, but had faced calls to go further and actually co-sponsor the General Assembly resolution.
Australia has pledged to cut emissions by 43% by 2030 and to reach net zero emissions by 2050.
But the country has stopped short of banning new coal and gas developments, a key request from Pacific leaders.
