Customary International Law

The International Court of Justice has released its long-awaited Advisory Opinion on Obligations of States in respect of Climate Change. Delivered yesterday by a unanimous Court, the Opinion marks a turning point in the international law governing climate change. It follows several significant rulings and advisory opinions from regional human rights courts and the International Tribunal…

The International Law Commission (ILC) has published its advance report on the work completed during its 76th session this May. This post focuses on progress in two topics related to the theory of sources: the second reading of conclusions on general principles of law, and the first reading of conclusions on subsidiary means for the determination of…

On April 27, 2025, an unexpected rise in water levels of the Jhelum river in Pakistan-Administered Kashmir [‘PAK’] caused flooding in the region, with residents struggling to ‘protect lives and property’. A week later, India again released water from dams in Indian-Administered Kashmir [‘IAK’] without notifying Pakistan that water levels in the Chenab river would rise…

Recent geopolitical events have intensified debates on the norms governing territorial integrity under international law. The full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Israel’s continued military activities in the occupied Palestinian territories, and Morocco’s assertive claims over Western Sahara highlight growing concerns about the erosion of the prohibition against forcible annexation. A parallel issue is…