The United Nations’ top judicial authority declared on Wednesday that affluent nations must adhere to their promises to reduce fossil fuel use and pollution, or they could face financial repercussions from countries most affected by climate change.

The 15-member U.N. International Court of Justice indicated that treaties obligate wealthier countries to mitigate global warming and that these nations are also accountable for the actions of companies within their borders or under their influence, according to reports from Reuters.

“Countries need to collaborate to meet specific emission reduction goals,” stated Judge Yuji Iwasawa at The Hague. “Greenhouse gas emissions are undoubtedly driven by human activities, transcending territorial boundaries.”

Tuvalu delegation arrives for the United Nations’ top court International Court of Justice (ICJ)’s public hearings in an advisory opinion case, that may become a reference point in defining countries’ legal obligations to fight climate change, in The Hague, Netherlands, December 2 2024.  (REUTERS/Piroschka van de Wouw/File Photo)

“This is a victory for our planet, for climate justice, and for the power of young people to make a difference,” he said. “The world must respond.”

Wednesday’s ruling was hailed by a number of small nation states. 

“I didn’t expect it to be this good,” said Ralph Regenvanu, the climate minister for the Pacific island nation of Vanuatu.

Many developing nations and small island states have said they are at great risk from rising sea levels. Some have sought clarification from the court after the 2015 Paris Agreement failure to curb the growth of global greenhouse gas emissions.