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This guide, published by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) in February 2026, provides structured 'Litigation Notes' to help lawyers integrate the findings of the International Court of Justice's (ICJ) July 23, 2025, Advisory Opinion (AO) on State obligations regarding climate change into current and future legal cases. The document breaks down the ICJ's conclusions into thematic areas, including government framework litigation, adaptation, remedies and reparations, the right to a healthy environment, corporate conduct, climate finance, speculative interventions, and regulatory backsliding. It aims to translate the ICJ's normative clarity into practical tools for promoting climate justice across national, regional, and international courts.

This guide provides a series of structured 'Litigation Notes' designed to help legal practitioners integrate the findings of the International Court of Justice's (ICJ) July 23, 2025, Advisory Opinion (AO) on States' obligations regarding climate change into domestic, regional, and international court cases. The document breaks down the ICJ AO by key themes—including government framework cases, adaptation, remedies and reparations, the right to a healthy environment, corporate conduct, climate financing, speculative interventions, and regulatory rollbacks—providing specific excerpts from the opinion and illustrating their application through existing and potential litigation categories.