July 15, 2025
As the World Confronts Climate Change, the US Leaves Our Future Behind
By Nic Wong
While the White House takes a sledgehammer to critical climate policy, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights announced a landmark decision on climate change and human rights.
Last week, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights announced a landmark decision on climate change and human rights. Deemed “a blueprint for rights-based climate action,” the 234-page advisory opinion made abundantly clear that amid an unprecedented emergency that is threatening virtually every human right imaginable, from health and access to water to life itself, national governments have resounding obligations to take action—safeguarding these rights not only in the present but also for future generations. As one of countless youth climate activists who has dedicated my adolescence and young adult life to fighting for climate justice, many of whom played an invaluable role in making this development possible, I experienced a seemingly simple but, in fact, rare and powerful feeling: I felt heard.
While the recognition of the need for serious climate action filled me with hope, I’ve also been left with a profound sense of rage. As I watch the world move forward and take the climate emergency seriously, I’m also watching my country and our future get left behind.
