The International Court of Justice, the United Nations’ highest judicial body, is beginning landmark hearings on global warming. Here’s a guide.

On 13 December, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) will make history as it addresses the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in a groundbreaking process to determine the legal obligations of countries in respect to climate change and the consequences of failing to act.

Officials from almost 100 countries are at the International Court of Justice in the Netherlands, asking the court to issue an opinion on the responsibility of certain nations to protect the planet from climate change.