The Hague, Jul 23 (AP) The United Nations's top court says that if countries fail to take measures to protect the planet from climate change, they could be in violation of international law.

The International Court of Justice is delivering an advisory opinion in a landmark case about nations' obligations to tackle climate change and consequences they may face if they don't, calling it an “urgent and existential” threat to humanity.

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“Failure of a state to take appropriate action to protect the climate system... may constitute an internationally wrongful act,” court President Yuji Iwasawa said during Wednesday's hearing. (AP)

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