CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (July 3, 2025)—The Inter-American Court of Human Rights issued an Advisory Opinion today affirming countries’ obligations to protect the human right to a healthy environment, including a stable climate. The opinion also specifies countries’ need to regulate heavily polluting companies and act to prevent climate disinformation. First requested by Chile and Colombia in 2023, the opinion centers on the scope of human rights that are affected by the climate emergency. As people increasingly turn to litigation as an avenue for advancing climate justice and accountability, the opinion is expected to inform courts around the world.
This advisory opinion builds on two landmark decisions last year. The European Court of Human Rights decided that a lack of climate action violates the right to respect for private and family life, and the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea recognized greenhouse gas emissions as marine pollutants and mandated that nations prevent, reduce and control those emissions.
Below is a statement by Dr. Carly Phillips, scientist for the Science Hub for Climate Litigation at the Union of Concerned Scientist (UCS).
“The court’s historic opinion establishes the human right to a healthy climate and clarifies the legal framework underpinning global accountability for the climate crisis. Countries have obligations to uphold human rights and that includes the fundamental right to a healthy climate, the right to nature and the right to science. This is a landmark moment for climate justice and reaffirms the importance of scientific evidence and other forms of knowledge in adapting to and mitigating further degradation of our shared climate.”
Below is a statement by Dr. Delta Merner, lead scientist with the Science Hub for Climate Litigation at UCS.
“This opinion sets an important precedent affirming that governments have a legal duty to regulate corporate conduct that drives climate harm. The court made clear that countries must regulate emissions across entire value chains, ensure corporate transparency and actively counter climate disinformation. These safeguards are essential for protecting human rights and minimizing already intensifying climate impacts. As the climate crisis accelerates, the court’s opinion sends a powerful message that nations must act decisively to confront corporate misconduct and protect the public.
“Though the United States is not a party to the treaty governing the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, this opinion should be a clarion call for transnational fossil fuel companies that have deceived the public for decades about the risks of their products. The era of accountability is here.”
Additional UCS Resources:
- Blog post on international courts and climate action
- Blog post on the human right to a stable climate
- Blog post on major moments for climate litigation in 2025
- Blog post on the lasting impacts of fossil fuel emissions on sea level rise
- Blog post on new evidence of the fossil fuel industry’s climate deceit
- Attribution science explainer