Dr. David R. Boyd

The icing on the cake, and a true reveal of this government's priorities: the recent removal of the luxury goods tax on private jets and yachts.

Oh Canada, this is so ugly!!

— may constitute an internationally wrongful act which is attributable to that State."

At a critical time, the world is rapidly embracing a clean energy future--solar, wind, batteries, heat pumps, electric transport--so Canada's new policies are not only bad for the global climate but the economy.

Int'l Court of Justice: "Failure of a State to take appropriate action to protect the climate system from GHG emissions — including through fossil fuel production, fossil fuel consumption, the granting of fossil fuel exploration licences or the provision of fossil fuel subsidies ...

Canada's regressive new climate policies violate international law.
New oil pipeline, gut Clean Electricity Standard (to phase out coal), kill consumer carbon tax, eliminate EV sales mandate, kill oil & gas sector emissions cap, increase fossil fuel subsidies, kill coastal oil shipping moratorium,

#3 eliminating the Underused Housing Tax, a move which will only benefit foreign millionaires
#4 #3 detaining former UN human rights experts (Richard Falk and Hilal Elver) at the border as national security risks ... Richard is a 95 year-old retired academic!

I am furious with Canada's government. Why?
#1 betraying climate commitments (ending carbon tax, failing to cap oil and gas emissions, fast-tracking fossil fuel projects)
#2 worsening inequality, by scrapping changes to capital gains tax and eliminating the luxury tax on yachts and private jets

Looking forward to this Climate Solutions event on Thursday!

Join @drdavidboyd.bsky.social's talk next week on this summer's powerful legal updates on the right to a healthy environment!

📍September 11, 2025 | CIRS BC Hydro Theatre
2:00 – 2:30 pm Networking (in-person)
2:30 – 3:30 pm Presentation (in-person and online)
climatesolutions.ubc.ca/news-and-eve...

are required to guarantee the effective enjoyment of such rights, it is difficult to see how these obligations can be fulfilled without at the same time ensuring the protection of the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment as a human right. "

Surely the time for excuses and delays is over. The Council of Europe must finally adopt a protocol recognizing the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment. As the International Court of Justice unanimously concluded, "in so far as States parties to human rights treaties ...

Commitee calls on the Council of Europe to assume its role in addressing climate change and its impact on our fundamental rights The Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development notes with grave concern that Europe has entered an era in which climate-related disasters are becoming structural: persistent droug...

The call comes from within – again!

Last Friday, the Committee on Social Affairs, Health & Sustainable Development of the @coe.int called for the legal protection of the right to a healthy environment! 🌍

pace.coe.int/en/news/9992...

1/5

-detoxify people’s bodies and the planet (A/HRC/49/53); and
-protect and restore the world's oceans (A/HRC/58/59).
These are obligations, not options.

-phase out the use of coal, oil and natural gas by investing in renewable energy, energy storage and energy efficiency and assist climate vulnerable nations in adapting to the climate emergency (A/74/161);
-conserve, protect and restore biodiversity (A/75/161);

-improve air quality by reducing both outdoor and household air pollution (A/HRC/40/55);
-ensure everyone has access to safe and sufficient water (A/HRC/46/28);
-transform industrial agriculture to produce healthy and sustainable food (A/76/179);

The substantive obligations stemming from the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment can be found in previous reports by the Special Rapporteur, and confirmed by courts across the world. States must take immediate and ambitious rights-based action to:

July 2025 marked a significant milestone for climate justice as the human right to a healthy environment was recognized by top judicial authorities.

@drdavidboyd.bsky.social, IRES professor & former UN Special Rapporteur, discussed its implications:
🔗 verfassungsblog.de/icj-climate-...

Big question
Has there ever been a more important court ruling than last week's advisory opinion on climate change from the International Court of Justice?
Facing an existential threat, the ICJ ruled that all States are obligated to protect the climate system by decarbonizing ASAP or polluters pay $

A Right Foundational to Humanity’s Existence

Driven by youth and Small Island States, courts have made it clear that bold climate action and generous climate finance are legally binding obligations that States must fulfil to protect the climate system & protect human rights
verfassungsblog.de/icj-climate-...
verfassungsblog.de/right-to-a-h...

🌍⚖️ The ICJ now recognizes the right to a healthy environment—a breakthrough for international climate justice.

Read the latest blog post by @drdavidboyd.bsky.social unpacks what this means for law, human rights, and environmental accountability.

🔗 buff.ly/hmYD5xA

#ICJ #HumanRights

ICJ Advisory Opinion! This is an absolutely massive and historic day for climate justice! Huge thanks to Pacific Island Students Fighting Climate Change and World Youth for Climate Justice who deserve the Nobel Peace Prize for their role in this. Also kudos to Vanuatu for incredible leadership!

New from me: How China's clean energy manufacturing boom is helping reduce CO2 emissions overseas. In 2024, China’s exports of solar panels, batteries and electric vehicles are shaved 1% off global emissions outside of China.

‼️ 🌍⚖️NEW POST: @drdavidboyd.bsky.social discusses 3 points on the advisory opinion—the right to a healthy climate, the rights of Nature, & the recognition of a new jus cogens norm prohibiting massive & irreversible damage to the climate & environment.
Read ➡️ blogs.law.columbia.edu/climatechang...

The World’s Highest Court Can’t Ignore the World’s Biggest Climate Culprit: Fossil Fuels - Center for International Environmental Law ICJ must name fossil fuels as the culprit in the climate crisis and declare States’ legal duty to phase them out and bring polluters to justice.

Tomorrow, the #ICJ rules on climate justice - and #FossilFuels are finally on trial.

Why does it matter? Our new blog explains why naming and phasing out fossil fuels is a legal and moral necessity.

Read more👉 bit.ly/4kPEEBU

#ClimateJustice

quarrying deep, if necessary, into its very bedrock. Seams of untold strength and richness lie therein, waiting to be quarried. Do these sources contain principles mightier than might alone, wherewith to govern the mightiest weapon of destruction yet devised?"
www.icj-cij.org/sites/defaul...

I like this quote from Justice Weeramantry, from an earlier advisory opinion on the legality of using nuclear weapons:
"It is thus the gravest of possible issues which confronts the Court in this Advisory Opinion. It requires the Court to scrutinize every available source of international law, ...

Tomorrow the world's highest court, the International Court of Justice, will issue what may be the most important judicial ruling in human history.
Facing an unprecedented climate emergency, will the Court have the courage to stand up to the fossil fuel giants and hold them accountable?
Stay tuned!

🔥 TOMORROW, history will be made.

The International Court of Justice #CIJ_ICJ will issue its first-ever Advisory Opinion on the #ClimateCrisis, a legal milestone that could redefine states’ responsibilities to protect #HumanRights and the planet.

Climate justice win! IA Court on Human Rights elaborates legal obligations around a healthy climate as part of the right to a healthy environment.
Meanwhile @coe.int still debates whether it should recognise it.
Our answer? YES - we urge the Council to adopt a protocol to the European Convention!

The right to a healthy environment is at the heart of the Inter_American Court of Human Rights powerful new ruling on the climate emergency.
The right basically prohibits "anthropogenic conduct with an irreversible impact on the vital balance of the planetary ecosystem"
More to follow ...

OK, here we go! The Inter-American Court of Human Rights is releasing its Advisory Opinion on human rights and the climate emergency.
Huge anticipation that this could be a powerful catalyst for climate justice, by clarifying the obligations that State must respect and the actions they must take ...