It's the Brian Marrishow on WNYC.

Good morning again, everyone.

And now our climate story of the week, which we've been doing on Tuesdays all this year on the show.

Last week, if you haven't heard, the top United Nations court opened two weeks of hearings

into what countries worldwide are legally required to do to combat climate change.

This comes after years of small island nations sounding the alarm about rising sea levels.

The stakes could not be higher.

The survival of my people and so many others is on the line.

That's the Attorney General of Vanuatu, an island nation speaking on the first day of the hearings. Now in its second

week, the Hague-based court is continuing to hear from 99 countries and more than a dozen

intergovernmental organizations. It's the largest lineup in the institution's nearly 80-year

history, according to the AP.

So joining us now to explain the hearing so far and what relief they may provide for vulnerable nations

and what the arguments are on either side is Nikki Reich,

director of the Climate and Energy Program at the Center for International Environmental Law.

Nikki, thanks for joining us.

Welcome to WNYC and our climate story of the week.

Thanks so much for having me.

So is this like a civil case?

Who's suing who?

Well, it is very much a David and Goliath battle

that's really about justice and accountability.

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