Today, U.S. Representative Harriet Hageman, representing Wyoming's at-large district, introduced legislation aimed at protecting American taxpayers from potential climate change reparations imposed by international courts. This move comes in response to a recent advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which suggested that countries could be held accountable for breaching international climate treaties.
The ICJ's opinion, issued in July 2025, said that countries involved in fossil fuel production or consumption might face demands to halt these activities and pay reparations to affected nations. The proposed bill by Rep. Hageman and Congressman Tom Tiffany seeks to prevent federal funds from being used to meet such reparation demands.
Rep. Hageman criticized the United Nations' stance on energy policies, stating, "The UN’s war on affordable and reliable energy is well known." She emphasized that the bill is designed to protect U.S. sovereignty and Congress's constitutional authority against financial risks stemming from international legal actions based on unproven assumptions.
Congressman Tiffany supported the initiative, noting that it builds on former President Trump's decision to withdraw the U.S. from the Paris Climate Agreement. He said, "This bill ensures that future presidents cannot blow taxpayer dollars abroad on ‘hot air’ demands from global bureaucrats."
The ICJ's advisory opinion followed a request by the United Nations General Assembly in March 2023 for clarification on states' obligations under international law regarding climate change. Although non-binding, the opinion concluded that international climate treaties hold binding obligations for member states.
Information from this article can be found here.
