@pbsnews: A landmark opinion from the U.N.'s International Court of Justice on Wednesday says countries may be violating international law by not taking steps to protect the planet. The nonbinding opinion also said that countries harmed by the effects of climate change could be entitled to reparations. The court called also climate change an existential threat to everyone. The opinion opens the door to allowing countries to sue each other, as well as letting activists file lawsuits against their own governments. The case was led by the Pacific island nation of Vanuatu, which has warned for years that it could disappear into the ocean due to rising sea levels, and it was backed by more than 130 countries. #pbsnews #newshour #pbsnewshour #icj #un #unitednations #internationallaw #climatechange #worldnews #news