An international court that governs maritime law is expected to issue a decision Tuesday that could have sweeping implications for how countries address climate change.
The coming opinion by the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea in Hamburg, Germany, will determine for the first time whether countries are legally obligated to cut their planet-warming pollution. The ruling could have far-reaching consequences for other court decisions.
One thing it’s missing: the United States.
The tribunal applies to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which requires member nations to protect and preserve the marine environment. But the U.S. has never ratified that convention, meaning any decision by the court wouldn’t have a direct bearing on U.S. governments or companies.
