Today in @thelancet.com we examine the importance of the recent ICJ Advisory Opinion in using law to protect health and human rights in the face of the planetary crisis. Link: www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...

We identify the critical aspects of the ICJ's opinion for global health and human rights, including landmark clarity on the nature of obligations under international treaties including the UNFCCC, Paris Agreement, and international human rights law, as well as under customary international law.

We highlight the centrality of health and the WHO's submissions in the Court's assessment, as well as the role of independent scientific synthesis assessments. We consider the implications of these findings for other governance bodies into the future.

"There will be challenges in securing the required policy and budgetary changes in states with anti-science and contumacious leaders...However, with this [ICJ Advisory] Opinion we are each empowered to hold our political leaders accountable under law and to demand change across the whole of society"