Highlights and images for 9 December 2024

While the first week of the hearings often touched upon the matter of sea-level rise, the second week opened with a focus on the freshwater cycle. Namibia reported having declared a national state of emergency over climate-related droughts three times in the past eight years, emphasizing the country risks becoming locked into a permanent state of aridity. Nepal underscored the varied impacts of glacier melting, both on its people and environment, as well as on downstream communities. Pakistan concurred, lamenting the “apocalyptic” impacts of flash floods which alternate with severe droughts and compromise food security.

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“We have been penalized for mistakes we did not make, for crimes we did not commit,” decried Nepal in a call for climate justice, thanking youth activists for being “the critical movers behind the scenes.” “Might does not make right,” echoed Nauru.

Mexico and Namibia emphasized States’ obligation to regulate private entities to prevent harm to the environment. While the Federated States of Micronesia urged eliminating fossil fuel subsidies and phasing out fossil fuel use, Japan noted that even if there is scientific consensus on their adverse effect, activities such as fossil fuel extraction, sales, or subsidies are not prohibited under international law. New Zealand underscored the Paris Agreement’s facilitative, multilateral consideration of progress and its facilitative, non-adversarial, and non-punitive approach to compliance.

Palestine emphasized interlinkages between armed conflict and environmental protection, including with regard to climate change. They drew attention to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of fighter jets and the international transport of military equipment, underscoring that these emissions are not accounted for in any country’s GHG inventories submitted to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. They urged the Court to address the matter in its advisory opinion.