ICJ Issues Landmark Advisory Opinion on Climate Obligations of States: Legal Clarity for a Warming World

On 23 July 2025, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued a watershed Advisory Opinion on the obligations of States in respect of climate change, a moment of immense legal and political significance for environmental law, state accountability, and global governance.

Requested by the UN General Assembly through Resolution 77/276, this opinion provides the clearest articulation yet of the legal framework binding States to climate action, and the consequences of non-compliance. With input from 96 States and 11 international organizations, it reflects both legal consensus and growing urgency.

Core Legal Findings:-

The Court’s conclusions carry profound implications for legal practitioners, policymakers, and public institutions worldwide. The ICJ held that:

1. States Have Binding Legal Obligations Under Multiple Legal Regimes

The Court identified obligations under:

Climate treaties: UNFCCC, Kyoto Protocol, and Paris Agreement.

Customary international law: Including the duty to prevent significant transboundary environmental harm and the duty to cooperate in good faith.

International human rights law: Linking environmental protection to the enjoyment of human rights.

Other treaties: Including the Law of the Sea, Biodiversity Convention, and Desertification Convention.

The obligations are not merely aspirational. They are legal duties, requiring action across mitigation, adaptation, international cooperation, and financial/technological support.

2. Breaches Trigger International Legal Responsibility

Where States fail to fulfill these obligations, by act or omission, such failures can constitute internationally wrongful acts. This includes:

Providing fossil fuel subsidies;

Failing to regulate private sector emissions;

Delaying or avoiding obligations under NDCs (Nationally Determined Contributions);

Failing to support adaptation in vulnerable States.

Such breaches can give rise to:

Cessation of the wrongful conduct;

Assurances of non-repetition;

Reparation, including compensation or satisfaction, provided a “sufficiently direct and certain causal nexus” is established.

3. Legal Consequences Extend Across Borders and Generations

The Court affirmed that:

Obligations to protect the climate system are erga omnes, owed to the international community as a whole.

All States have a legal interest in the performance of climate obligations by others.

Injured States (including small island and developing States) have standing to invoke responsibility.

Obligations also concern the rights and interests of present and future generations, an important recognition in the context of intergenerational equity.

Implications for Legal and Policy Practice

For Legal Practitioners:

This opinion provides clear legal grounds for States and civil society to pursue climate litigation, both domestically and internationally.

It confirms that climate action is not simply a policy matter but a question of compliance with binding legal duties, a crucial point for advocacy, negotiation, and enforcement.

The ICJ emphasizes the due diligence standard: States must actively regulate non-State actors within their jurisdiction, particularly where inaction enables significant harm.

For Public Policy Professionals:

The opinion reinforces the legitimacy of climate governance frameworks grounded in law, from NDC enforcement to cross-border climate finance and capacity building.

It strengthens the case for mainstreaming international legal obligations into national climate policies and budgeting processes.

The principle of common but differentiated responsibilities (CBDR) remains relevant, but all States are accountable within their respective capabilities.

A Turning Point in Global Climate Governance

While advisory in nature, the ICJ’s opinion is authoritative and will likely shape judicial reasoning, negotiation frameworks, and institutional accountability for years to come. It joins a growing body of jurisprudence, alongside domestic court rulings and human rights decisions, that frame climate inaction as a legal, not just political, failure.

This opinion aligns international legal doctrine with climate science, offering States and institutions a coherent roadmap to uphold the rule of law in addressing the climate crisis.

Read the full opinion: https://www.icj-cij.org/case/187

Summary from the ICJ: 

Summary 2025/4

Historic Climate Ruling from the ICJ!

On July 23, 2025, the International Court of Justice issued a landmark Advisory Opinion on the obligations of States regarding climate change marking a critical moment in the fight for climate justice.

Countries are legally obligated under international law to protect the climate, not just by treaties like the Paris Agreement, but also under customary international law and human rights law.

These obligations apply not only to emissions reductions, but also to adaptation, cooperation, and support for vulnerable states.

Countries that fail to act or enable harmful emissions through fossil fuel subsidies, for example, may be committing internationally wrongful acts.

The Court confirmed that all States have a shared legal interest in holding each other accountable.

This is the first time the ICJ has laid out such a clear, unanimous legal framework around state responsibility for climate change. It sets the stage for more climate litigation, international cooperation, and stronger legal tools to protect our planet and future generations.

Read the full opinion here: https://lnkd.in/dCt-8chg

Where you belong

You do not have to reach, or try,       to earn the way you fill my sky.     You live in me so quietly, like roots that breathe beneath a tree.

No measure made of time or talk
defines the path on which we walk.
Even in silence, love holds true,
my stillness leans toward you.

I keep you not with grasp or chain,
but in the way I speak your name, only in thought, where no one hears, softened by hope and untouched by fears.

You are stitched into my simplest days, in quiet looks and in gentle ways.
The kind of love that needs no sound,
yet everywhere, it is all around.

No need for words to prove your place. You breathe in all I do.        Like petals fold to hold the rain, my silence gathers you.  

The Art of Letting Go: Embracing Self-Reliance and Rediscovering Yourself

In a world that often prioritizes tangible gains like services, money, and personal benefits, it is easy to feel disheartened when relationships fail to meet your emotional needs. If you’ve ever found yourself giving endlessly, only to feel underappreciated, this post is for you.

Let us start with a harsh truth: people aren’t always looking for love in the way you may be offering it. They might be seeking something transactional like support, convenience, or even validation. That doesn’t make them inherently. It is simply how many navigate life. However, what happens to you, the giver, when you’ve invested your heart and soul into someone who doesn’t reciprocate in the same way?

The answer lies not in blaming others but in redefining how you approach love, relationships, and most importantly, yourself.

Caring through others: the trap of emotional dependency

When you care for others more than yourself, it is often because you’ve learned to find validation through them. You pour your energy into pleasing them, thinking it will secure their love and your sense of belonging. However, here is the hard part: when love is conditional i.e based on what you provide rather than who you are, it leaves you empty.

It’s not their fault entirely, nor is it yours. However, it is your responsibility to shift the focus.

Why Self-Reliance is the Greatest Love Story You’ll Ever Write

The world changes when you start to prioritize yourself not out of selfishness but out of necessity. Becoming self-reliant doesn’t mean rejecting others; it means filling your own cup first. It is about listening to your heart and taking actions that resonate with your true desires.

Here are some powerful questions to guide you:

• What does my heart truly say?
• Is this what I really want, or am I doing it to please others?
• What do I want to do now, not out of obligation, but out of joy?
• Is this action light and freeing?
• Will this choice build a better future for me tomorrow?

When you let these questions guide your decisions, you stop seeking external validation. You start building a relationship with yourself that is unconditional, nurturing, and empowering.

People are not bad. They are just human

Here is another hard truth: the people who let you down may not even realize they are doing so. Most are just navigating their own struggles, caught up in their needs and desires. They are not bad. They are human.

Understanding this allows you to release bitterness and resentment. It gives you the freedom to set boundaries and move forward without anger weighing you down.

How to start your journey of self-reliance

1. Detach with love: Stop tying your worth to others’ opinions or actions. You are enough, even if no one else validates it.
2. Prioritize self-care: Invest time and energy in activities that nurture your mind, body, and soul.
3. Set boundaries: Protect your energy by saying no when something doesn’t serve your well-being.
4. Surround yourself with positivity: Seek out people who uplift and inspire you, not those who drain you.
5. Celebrate small wins: Every step you take toward self-reliance is a victory worth celebrating.

The power of choosing yourself

When you stop seeking love through others and start finding it within yourself, everything changes. You no longer act out of desperation or fear of being alone. Instead, you make decisions from a place of confidence and clarity.

This shift doesn’t just transform your relationship with yourself but it enhances your relationships with others too. You attract people who respect and value the authentic you, rather than the version of you molded to meet their needs.

The takeaway

Life isn’t about pleasing everyone, is about honoring your heart. It is about aligning your actions with your desires, building a future that serves you.

So, the next time you feel tempted to overgive, pause. Ask yourself: Is this what I truly want? Am I acting out of love for myself or out of fear of losing someone else?

Remember, self-reliance isn’t isolation it is liberation. When you choose yourself, you are not just living; you’re thriving.

It’s your turn. What does your heart say? Listen carefully. It knows the way.

Why small things matter so much to women in romantic relationships

You’ve probably heard the stereotype before.

Why are girlfriends often called insecure? Why do they seem to overreact or appear to nag about little things like texts, calls, or tone of voice?

At first glance, this kind of behavior might seem irrational or overly emotional. But if you look closer, there is a deeper reason behind it. And no, it is not because women are crazy. It is because they care deeply and are often trying to protect something valuable.

Let’s take a closer look.

1. Small Things Are Actually Big Things

To many women, the little things a man does or does not do carry meaning.

Why is that?

Because in the early stages of a relationship, she is still learning who you are. Those small things become signs of something bigger.

Do you respond when she reaches out?

Do you follow through on your word?

Do you listen when she talks?

Are you consistent and present?

These moments may seem minor, but over time they form a picture of how you operate. If you are careless with the little things, she may wonder how you will handle the bigger ones. So no, she is not overanalyzing. She is paying attention. She is asking herself, even if not fully aware of it,

Can I trust this person? Can I rely on him in the long run?

2. Women Invest Emotionally and Carefully

A woman’s time, emotional energy, and attention, especially during the most important years of her life, are incredibly valuable. She is not just looking for fun or excitement. She is thinking about emotional security and possibly even her future family.

Women often carry more of the emotional and physical weight when it comes to relationships, pregnancy, and care. So of course she wants to be sure she is investing in the right person.

When you ignore a message or miss a call, it is not just about that moment. It can represent something larger. Does this person take me seriously? Do I matter to him? Can I relax into this connection?

3. Emotional Sensitivity Means Deep Caring

Women are often more emotionally aware, not because they are fragile, but because they are tuned in. That emotional sensitivity is what allows them to care deeply, nurture others, and show empathy.

They notice subtle shifts in behavior. They feel tension before it is spoken. They sense distance even if nothingl has been said. This is not a flaw. It is a strength. But when those emotional alarms go off, it can cause real distress.

If a woman becomes emotional, it is rarely because she wants drama. It is usually because something she values feels threatened or unclear.

4. It Is About Trust and Emotional Safety

Too often, women are labeled as controlling or needy when they express a desire for communication or reassurance. But in truth, they are usually seeking emotional safety.

They are asking

Do you mean what you say?

Are you dependable?

Will you be there when it matters?

And beneath all of that

Would you be a loving partner, a steady presence, and someone I could build a real future with?

This is not about control. It is about safety, stability, and shared commitment.

5. The Relationship Impacts More Than Just Two People

When a woman is in a secure and loving relationship, it affects everything. Her mood, her health, her ability to give to others, and if she chooses to become a mother, the well-being of her children.

If she is in a relationship where she feels neglected, dismissed, or undervalued, it does more than hurt her feelings. It affects her on every level.

So when she seems sensitive, it is not because she is weak. It is because she understands what is at stake, even if she cannot always explain it in words.

Final Thoughts: It Is Not Insecurity, It Is Emotional Intelligence

When women care about the details, when they ask for attention, consistency, and care, it is not a sign of emotional instability.

It is actually a sign of emotional wisdom.

They are not being dramatic. They are trying to protect their heart, their time, and their future.

So the next time you wonder why that text, call, or forgotten detail matters so much to her, remember this

It is not about the call. It is about the trust.

It is not about the message. It is about being valued.

It is not about the small thing.

It is about something much bigger.

Why Gender Equity at Work Needs Legal Muscle, Not Just Motivation

Every time a woman walks into a job interview and is asked if she’s married, when she plans to be, or whether she intends to have children questions rarely, if ever, asked of men,  we are reminded that gender inequality isn’t about capability. It’s about structure.

It’s not that women don’t negotiate, or that they lack ambition. It’s that workplaces, education systems, and even the public space itself have been built with a default male body and mind in mind. Women, on the other hand, are expected to shrink — their presence, their expectations, and even their biological rhythms. We often hear women are less confident, more “emotional,” or less self-promoting. These aren’t personal shortcomings. They are symptoms of a society that quietly teaches women, from puberty onward, to doubt themselves and then punishes them if they speak up.

We cannot solve this by simply asking women to “lean in.” What we need is law. We need policy. We need systemic scaffolding that holds up equality even when the culture around it does not.

1. End Discriminatory Hiring Practices

It is currently legal in India to ask a woman if she plans to marry or have children in a job interview. There is no explicit provision in Indian labour law — including the Equal Remuneration Act, Maternity Benefit Act, or even POSH, that bars this line of questioning. It should be. A clear provision under the Equal Opportunity Code must be introduced, making such questions illegal, with penalties for non-compliance.

Every job interview must come under a formal anti-discrimination clause,  similar to the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) framework in the U.S. Companies above a certain size should be required to file anonymised interview data for third-party audit.

2. Mandate Pay Transparency and Negotiation Audits

Women, statistically, negotiate less often and less aggressively than men. But the larger issue is structural: most organisations don’t offer pay transparency. That creates space for gender-based wage gaps to go unnoticed or worse, justified. Governments must legally mandate pay bands for all roles in medium and large organisations, and require that HR departments conduct annual gender audits of salaries, promotions, and negotiation success rates.

This is already being done in countries like Iceland and the UK. There’s no reason India shouldn’t follow suit.

3. Enforce Equal Representation in Decision-Making Roles

India’s corporate boards are still overwhelmingly male. Even in 2025, women make up less than 18% of board members in the top 500 NSE-listed companies. A 33% reservation for women on boards,  not as a token but as a compliance requirement should be enforced with clear penalties. This isn’t just a gender issue; companies with gender-diverse leadership tend to perform better financially and show higher ethical standards.

We also need the same enforcement in public offices, university senates, and workplace grievance committees. If women aren’t at the table when rules are made, those rules will continue to reflect male default assumptions.

4. Make Workplaces Hormone-Aware, Not Just Gender-Aware

Much of our current workplace model such as  9-to-5 routines, monthly reviews, linear productivity cycles, is built on male hormonal rhythms, which operate on a roughly 24-hour cycle. Women, whose bodies follow more complex hormonal patterns across a 28-day cycle, are held to a standard they didn’t help design.

This is not about special treatment; it’s about accommodation. Companies should be encouraged (and eventually required) to create flexible productivity models for menstruating and menopausal employees. These could include cycle-aware leave banks, hybrid work windows, and the right to opt out of non-critical meetings during certain phases.

This also applies to education. Girls going through puberty face both objectification and alienation in classroom settings. Teachers must be trained to recognise the psychosocial effects of adolescence on girls, not just discipline them for “distracted behaviour.”

5. Protect Women’s Right to Simply Exist in Public

The very act of a woman standing still in public space can invite suspicion. She cannot loiter. She cannot be idle. She must have a “purpose”, preferably work, errands, or care-giving. Otherwise, she is sexualised, policed, or pathologised. This is what sociologists call the “male default of public presence.”

Local governments must redesign public spaces through a gender-equity lens more seating, better lighting, community-driven vigilance committees (not surveillance), and strong anti-harassment enforcement. Cities like Vienna have implemented “gender mainstreaming” in urban design. It’s time Indian cities did the same.

6. Build Legal Protection for Unpaid and Invisible Labour

One of the most devastating contradictions today is that being a traditional wife or homemaker is no longer socially recognised, yet workplaces do not accommodate the unpaid labour women do at home. Care work, emotional labour, child-rearing, and household management continue to fall disproportionately on women, with zero legal recognition.

We need a legal framework that offers pensions, healthcare coverage, or time-banking for homemakers not just as welfare, but as a rights-based recognition of their contribution to the economy. Kerala’s new budget offering monthly pay to homemakers is a small but meaningful step in this direction.

7. Reimagine Masculinity Through Legal and Cultural Reform

Finally, none of this is good for men either. When women are punished for being too feminine, and men are punished for being too “soft,” both are trapped in rigid roles that crush mental health, empathy, and personal growth. Gender-sensitive school curricula and public awareness campaigns must target boys too — not to shame them, but to liberate them from hyper-masculine expectations.

Gender justice is not a “women’s issue.” It’s a societal reset.

The Bottom Line

A woman’s worth is not determined by how well she hides her pain, smiles through discrimination, or pretends to be either a man or a superwoman. The problem is not that women are weak. It’s that society, policy, and law still treat their strength as an exception, not the norm.

What we need is a complete rewiring of how workplaces, public spaces, and institutions perceive gender. Not as a box to be ticked, but as a foundational principle of fairness and dignity.

Until then, every policy that ignores the emotional, biological, and structural reality of being a woman in today’s world is simply unfinished work.

Why Marathi Cinema Remains Underrated and What We Can Actually Do About It

Marathi cinema doesn’t suffer from a lack of talent. The writing is sharp, the performances are strong, and the ideas are often years ahead of mainstream trends. What’s missing is the system or the scaffolding that helps stories travel, scale, and sustain. Until we acknowledge this and move beyond clichés like “there’s no audience” or “Bollywood has better budgets,” nothing will change.

Let’s take a closer look at that first excuse: “There’s no audience.” Why is that? Why don’t Marathi films reach viewers across India, or even abroad? Why don’t they get proper dubbing, visible marketing campaigns, or prime OTT placements?

One major reason is cost. Dubbing a film into another language can cost anywhere between ₹5–15 lakh. For producers working on shoestring budgets, this is often out of reach. So, even when a Marathi film has potential appeal beyond the state, it never gets the chance. It remains stuck in a local bubble.

This is where public policy could make a real difference. The government could create a dedicated fund to support dubbing and subtitling for regional films, something similar to what France’s CNC or South Korea’s KOCCA have already established. Even a small grant per film could open up national and international distribution possibilities. If we are serious about making Marathi cinema accessible, this is the most practical place to start.

Another core issue is budget. Most Marathi films are made for under ₹5 crore, and many for significantly less. With this kind of budget, there’s barely enough to complete production, let alone fund marketing, festival submissions, or long-term visibility efforts. And because the financial returns are uncertain, large studios and private investors tend to stay away. The entire ecosystem is trapped in a low-budget, low-return loop.

One way to break that loop is by creating a public-private funding body specifically for Marathi creative industries. This would allow the government to match private investment in select projects with national or global potential. Such funds already exist in other sectors, there’s no reason cinema should be left out.

But money isn’t the only missing piece. There is also a lack of support infrastructure. Many Marathi filmmakers come from theatre, literature, or activist backgrounds. Their strength is storytelling, not business strategy. Most do not have access to OTT aggregators, sales agents, or the legal knowledge needed to negotiate fair distribution deals. There is currently no system to train them in how to scale their work or build long-term IP.

What’s needed here is a formal accelerator, a short-term, intensive program that offers training in areas like intellectual property rights, distribution strategy, and international sales. FTII could lead such a program, ideally in partnership with the state. If we do this for tech entrepreneurs, why not for filmmakers?

Even within Maharashtra, Marathi films are at a disadvantage. Go to any multiplex in Mumbai or Pune, and you’ll find that Bollywood films dominate the prime-time slots. Marathi films, even good ones, are often relegated to morning or late-night shows. This has less to do with quality and more to do with revenue. Multiplexes earn more from a big Bollywood release than they do from a regional film, so they prioritize accordingly.

Other states have addressed this imbalance through policy. Tamil Nadu, for example, mandates a fixed percentage of screen time for Tamil films. Maharashtra could adopt a similar model, not to be protectionist, but to ensure that regional cinema has a fair chance in its own market. A minimum screen quota for Marathi films in the state’s theatres would be a strong first step.

Promotion is another major challenge. Most Marathi films lack the marketing muscle to compete in a noisy digital world. There are no consistent PR strategies, influencer tie-ups, or long-term audience-building efforts. Each film starts from scratch. And because there’s no shared infrastructure, the same problems keep repeating.

This could change if the state helped establish a shared marketing consortium, a collective effort where filmmakers can pool resources for outreach, publicity, and festival campaigns. Other states already have formal cultural export programs for cinema. Kerala, Assam, and even Manipur do more than Maharashtra in this regard. Given how much talent exists here, this gap is baffling.

Beyond logistics, there’s a cultural challenge too. Many Marathi creators are deeply uncomfortable with promotion. They feel it’s inauthentic or self-indulgent. This mindset is shaped by a legacy of social reform thinkers like Phule and Ambedkar positioned art as a tool for education and conscience, not self-glorification. But in today’s digital world, humility often becomes invisibility. If your work isn’t visible, it might as well not exist.

That doesn’t mean artists need to “sell out.” It just means we need to equip them with tools to promote their work ethically and effectively. Media training, branding workshops, and digital strategy sessions should be integrated into cultural funding programs. Artists don’t need to chase virality, but they do need to be seen.

There’s also the frustrating pattern where Marathi films only get recognition after being remade in Hindi. It’s as if the original only becomes legitimate once it’s translated into a Bollywood format. This isn’t just about language. It’s about media gatekeeping. National coverage from film reviews to award circuits still leans heavily toward Hindi or English content.

We need legal safeguards here too. In the European Union, platforms like Netflix are required to maintain a minimum quota of European content. India could take a similar approach. OTT platforms should be required to visibly feature regional language content, not bury it under dozens of clicks. Visibility quotas would ensure that Marathi films have a fighting chance in the algorithm-driven marketplace.

Finally, the issue of stardom. Marathi cinema does not have a real star system, not because the actors aren’t talented, but because there’s no ecosystem to support celebrity. No dedicated PR firms, no talent managers, no media pipelines. Stardom doesn’t happen by accident. It’s built and Marathi cinema has never invested in building it.

This can change too. The government could offer incentives to regional publicists and media agencies that promote local talent. It could also create grants for artist development, including training in public speaking, social media, and press relations. When actors become visible, the industry as a whole benefits.

Ultimately, the question isn’t whether Marathi cinema has value, it clearly does. The question is whether we’re willing to build the systems it needs to thrive. That means moving from individual effort to collective infrastructure. From occasional brilliance to consistent support. From isolation to visibility.

Marathi art doesn’t need saving. It needs scaling. And that’s a policy problem, not a creative one.