Collected photo for the Internation Court of Justice

THE HAGUE, July 23, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - The top UN court on Wednesday described climate change as an "urgent and existential threat", as it handed down a landmark ruling on the legal obligations of countries to prevent it.

"The consequences of climate change are severe and far-reaching: they affect both natural ecosystems and human populations. These consequences underscore the urgent and existential threat posed by climate change," said International Court of Justice president Yuji Iwasawa.