On July 3, 2025, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights issued a historic Advisory Opinion declaring the climate crisis a human rights emergency. The decision clarified that States and corporations have binding obligations under international law to address both the causes and consequences of climate change. And it left no room for doubt: protecting human rights means taking action to confront the climate crisis.
To unpack the Advisory Opinion’s legal and practical implications, as well as its gaps and opportunities, CIEL worked with more than 20 organizations and experts on the comprehensive publication Climate Justice and Human Rights: Legal Standards and Tools from the Inter-American Court’s Advisory Opinion 32/25. In fourteen briefs, it covers key topics addressed in the Opinion, including the human rights obligations of corporations and States in the face of the climate crisis, the right to a healthy climate, the rights of Nature, as well as the rights of Indigenous Peoples, LGBTIQ+ persons, future generations, and environmental defenders.
The climate Advisory Opinion by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights offers a powerful framework to advance climate justice in the Americas and around the world. This publication serves as a resource for legal practitioners and advocates seeking to translate this landmark decision into concrete action.
Read CIEL’s press statement on the Inter-American Court of Human Rights Climate Advisory Opinion.
Published on October 27, 2025.