Guwahati, July 24 -- The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has delivered a landmark Advisory Opinion outlining the obligations of States under international law in response to the climate crisis.

The opinion, which clarifies legal responsibilities beyond the Paris Agreement, affirms that States have a duty to prevent significant harm to the environment and to cooperate internationally on climate action.

The Court stated that States are required to regulate businesses for the harmful effects of their emissions, regardless of where those effects occur. It also recognised the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment as fundamental to the enjoyment of other human rights.

Intergenerational equity, the Court said, must guide...