For bringing the biggest case in history to the International Court of Justice (ICJ)

Dr Margaretha Wewerinke-Singh was selected for her work as the legal counsel for the Pacific island nation Vanuatu and their case that began in 2021 to seek an advisory opinion from the ICJ on climate change. This eventually led to the hearings in Den Haag in December 2024 when over 100 countries and organisations participated in the oral proceedings.

The hearings are part of the process towards the court issuing an advisory opinion, which will clarify States’ legal obligations under international law and the consequences of breaching them. The ICJ is expected to deliver an advisory opinion in 2025.

Margaretha Wewerinke-Singh is Associate Professor of Sustainability Law at the Faculty of Law of the University of Amsterdam and international lawyer at Blue Ocean Law.