THE HAGUE — The World Court concludes hearings on Friday (Dec 13) on countries' legal obligation to fight climate change and whether large states contributing most to greenhouse-gas emissions should be liable for damage caused to small island nations.

The International Court of Justice will issue an opinion on those questions, likely in 2025, that could be cited in climate change-driven litigation around the world.

During two weeks of hearings, rich countries of the global north broadly argued that existing climate treaties like the Paris Agreement, which are largely non-binding, should be the basis for deciding countries' responsibilities.

For their part, developing nations and small island states bearing the brunt of climate change sought robust measures to curb emissions, and want to regulate financial support from wealthy polluting nations.

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