Climate Change

Just Security’s expert authors offer in-depth analysis of the legal, security, diplomatic, and human rights dimensions of climate change. Articles span topics related to international agreements, climate-related displacement, the national security risks of climate change, and climate litigation in international, regional, and domestic courts and tribunals.

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158 Articles
Binders of executive orders stacked on a desk.

Collection: Just Security’s Coverage of Trump Administration Executive Actions

Coverage of key developments, including in concise “What Just Happened” expert explainers, legal and policy analysis, and more. Check back frequently for updates.

Himalayan Water Disputes Awaken the Tensions and Promises of the UN Watercourses Convention

States should promote water security and minimize geopolitical risk by reading the UN Watercourses Convention as a baseline for all nations to follow.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) members arrive to issue first Advisory Opinion (AO) on States' legal obligations to address climate change, in The Hague on July 23, 2025. The top UN court on July 23, 2025 described climate change as an "urgent and existential threat", as it handed down a landmark ruling on the legal obligations of countries to prevent it. (Photo by JOHN THYS/AFP via Getty Images)

Climate-Vulnerable States Vindicated in the Hague: A First Look at the International Court of Justice’s Climate Advisory Opinion

With this unanimous opinion, the ICJ has taken a clear stand in favor of a coherent and equitable international legal response to climate change.
Fog over Santiago, Chile (via Getty Images)

Inter-American Court of Human Rights Delivers Landmark Opinion on Climate Emergency

The advisory opinion provides a blueprint for policymakers and advocates seeking to drive forward climate action in the Americas.
The hand of a person in a suit peels back a stage curtain.

A Warm Welcome to Mark Nevitt as a Just Security Editorial Board Member!

We are thrilled to welcome distinguished scholar and Emory law professor Mark Nevitt, Commander, JAGC (ret.), as a new member of Just Security's Editorial Board.
A man walks past an infrastructure project underway for COP30 in Belem, Para state, Brazil

COP 30 Must Not Cop Out

Brazil, the Parties, and other stakeholders should ensure the issue of "nationally determined contribution" emission targets lie at the heart of COP 30.
A worker sorts recyclable plastic waste at a warehouse in Jalandhar on June 4, 2025, on the eve of World Environment Day. (Photo by SHAMMI MEHRA/AFP via Getty Images)

Getting to Yes on the Plastics Agreement: Time for More Plasticity?

A thorough survey of tools that can be used to bridge divides in negotiations on a treaty to end plastic pollution.
An image of an orange/yellow sun

Why a Global “Moratorium” on Solar Radiation Management Deployment Should Get a Chilly Reception

A bottom-up norm-setting approach would rectify the concerns of agreeing to a global moratorium on solar radiation management deployment.
Hand arranged wooden cube blocks with leaves. Climate-change related green icons. (Getty Images)

Don’t Succumb to Climate Fatalism

Climate policy is taking a hit, but succumbing to this backsliding is not the answer. Instead, there are real security, economic, and political benefits to hitting back.
Tank and soldiers shown on Mexico border

The New “National Defense Area” at the Southern Border: What You Need to Know

NSPM-4 creates a military area that is twice the size of Washington, D.C. and expands the military’s role in stopping cross-border migration.
U.S. President Donald Trump (C) and Vice President JD Vance meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office at the White House on February 28, 2025 in Washington, DC.

Negotiations at Gunpoint: Does U.S. Pressure on Ukraine for a Minerals Deal Amount to Unlawfully Procuring a Treaty by Use of Force?

Coercion leveraged by the U.S. to secure Ukrainian mineral resources could be deemed use of force, rendering any resulting treaty void.
Two diamond miners in yellow helmets and red vests look out over an expansive diamond mine.

In Potential Russia Sanctions Removal, Diamonds Illustrate the Complexities

The web of factors for the diamond industry in any lifting of sanctions could be instructive for other sectors too.
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