INTERVIEW

In an interview, human rights lawyer Julian Aguon explores how climate change is undermining the cultural traditions of Indigenous peoples. He is citing these injuries in legal actions, including in a major victory at the International Court of Justice last year.

Last year, the International Court of Justice unanimously ruled that countries have a legal obligation to limit greenhouse gas emissions. The decision was the culmination of a years-long campaign launched by a group of law students in the Pacific island nation of Vanuatu.

The landmark opinion , which said countries’ failure to address emissions from fossil fuels and other sources could carry legal consequences, provides a potentially powerful new tool for communities, organizations, or governments suing in national courts to compel climate action or win damages.…