Bibliography Climate Change and the Testing of International Law

A Selective Bibliography on Climate Change and the Testing of International Law

Initially prepared for the Hague Academy of International Law Centre for Studies and Research in International Law and International Relations in 2022 by Eveline van Trigt (Peace Palace Library), this bibliography remains highly relevant today. The Bibliography addresses core themes of climate change and international law, including the Paris Agreement, human rights, migration, peace and security, geoengineering, the disappearance of island states, intergenerational climate justice, state responsibility, climate finance, and international litigation.

Since its first publication, international climate change has evolved rapidly. There are several landmark decisions by international courts, such as the International Court of Justice Advisory Opinion (2025), the ITLOS Advisory Opinion (2024), and the IACtHR Advisory opinion (2025). These landmark cases have clarified that states have legal obligations to prevent climate harm and to protect human rights. These recent international court rulings have a substantial impact on international law, global climate governance, and Conference of the Parties (COP) negotiations. In addition to these precedent-setting cases of international courts, numerous national climate lawsuits have emerged worldwide. These are also significant for the evolution of domestic and international climate law and for advancing accountability.

The bibliography consists of three parts. Parts I and II consist of 12 chapters each on thematic issues. Part III deals with climate change & international law in general (3.1), the Paris Agreement (3.2), and international adjudication (3.3).

The directors of research for the Online Centre programme of 2022 are Prof. Jacqueline Peel (University of Melbourne Law School) and Prof. Sandrine Maljean-Dubois (Aix-Marseille University).

The bibliography has been compiled from several sources. It concerns both digital and printed materials from the Peace Palace Library and several (legal) sources from the internet, such as: legal databases, research articles, legal blogs, repositories, webinars, and other relevant sources.

This bibliography will continue to be updated to reflect new developments and jurisprudence, and negotiations in international climate change law.

Link to the Bibliography: Climate Change and the Testing of International Law: A Selective Bibliography by Ms. Eveline N. van Trigt

All previous versions of the bibliography can be found at the bottom of this page. The latest version of the Bibliography on Climate change without yellow highlights can be found here.

The Bibliography on climate change has also been added to the Research Guide about the Environment.

Please note that several online publications in this Bibliography are part of our collection, but these have not been added to our catalogue (yet). The Bibliography will be updated regularly.

If you are a PPL membership card holder, you can access all the online bibliographic content by logging in to your Peace Palace Library account on the website of the Peace Palace Library. In case you experience any difficulties while trying to access online databases, digital books, or articles, please ask for assistance at the Reading Room desk (library@peacepalace.org).

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Web links

PPL Research Guide about the Environment.

The Hague Academy of International Law

United Nations