About the event

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) delivered a historic Advisory Opinion on the obligations of States in respect of climate change on 23 July 2025. This opinion provided legal clarity on the obligations of States under international law to ensure the protection of the climate system from greenhouse gas emissions, amongst other things. The ICJ’s opinion, follows a recent judgment delivered by the Australian Federal Court of a case brought by Torres Strait Islanders arguing the government has a duty of care to protect them from climate change (the Pabai case).

This webinar is a collaboration with EIANZ and NELA, attendees will hearing from Barrister at the Victorian Bar Simon Molesworth AO KC, former Justice of the NSW Land & Environment Court, and EIANZ International Affairs Ambassador who will facilitate a discussion between Barrister Tomo Boston KC and Professor Jaqueline Peel from The University of Melbourne on their reflections on the Pabai case, the ICJ’s Advisory Opinion, and their implications for Australian and New Zealand climate laws and policies.

This event will run off Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST) and will run for 1 hour and will be recorded.

NELA Members please register here →

Meet the speakers

Professor Jacqueline Peel, The University of Melbourne

Professor Jacqueline Peel is an expert in the field of environmental and climate change law and a 2024 ARC Laureate Fellow and Kathleen Fitzpatrick Award holder. Her scholarship encompasses international, transnational and national dimensions of environmental and climate law, as well as interdisciplinary aspects of the law/science relationship in the environmental field. She is the author or co-author of several books and numerous articles on these topics. She has been an active contributor to public policy formulation and assessments on climate change and environmental issues at the national and international level through her work on bodies such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, ILA Committee on Legal Principles Relating to Climate Change and the IBA's Working Group on a Model Statute for Climate Action and Relief. Her research has attracted funding from various organisations including the Australian Research Council, VCCCAR and the United States Studies Centre. She has also been the recipient of prestigious awards such as a Fulbright Scholarship and NYU Hauser Scholarship.

Tomo Boston KC, Barrister at the Victorian Bar

Tomo is a barrister at the Victorian Bar. He practices in the areas of climate litigation, environmental law and commercial law. He is the co-Chair of the Climate Change Committee of the Victorian Bar. He is the Chief Editor of the Australian Climate Change Litigation Annual Review. He was the joint lead counsel for the Torres Strait Islanders in Pabai v The Commonwealth in the Federal Court of Australia.

He has written and presented extensively on climate change litigation. In particular, the intersections between climate change and administrative/judicial reviews, environmental legislation, class actions, consumer and financial products, greenwashing, directors’ duties, disclosure obligations, insurance, negligence and nuisance.

He regularly provides advice to parties on prospective climate litigation claims and defences in a wide variety of industries and subject matter.

Not an EIANZ member?

Consider joining as a student, associate or full member today! To receive the member rate to the webinar make sure you apply for membership prior to registering. Join here →

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