ICJ Advisory Opinion

Currently waiting for a response from Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, they should respond promptly and normally no later than (details).

Dear FOI Officer,

I seek access under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth) to the following documents held by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.

Scope of request:

Documents created on or after 1 July 2025 that brief the Secretary and/or the Minister on the implications of the International Court of Justice Advisory Opinion on climate change for Australia’s domestic regulatory, policy, or legislative framework.

This includes, but is not limited to, any discussion of:

- Australia’s obligations under international law following the Advisory Opinion;

- due diligence obligations in relation to greenhouse gas emissions, climate risk, or environmental harm;

- the adequacy of existing Commonwealth climate frameworks, legislation, or regulatory measures in light of the Advisory Opinion; and

- proposed or recommended policy, regulatory, or legislative responses.

Document types:

This request is limited to final briefing documents provided to the Secretary and/or the Minister. Where a briefing document was prepared but not ultimately provided, this request includes the latest version of that document.

Exclusions:
This request does not seek any personal information or duplicate copies of documents.

Extension of time:
I agree to an 8-day extension of time under s 15AA of the FOI Act to offset the processing days lost over the government's shut down period from 25 December 2025 to 1 January 2026 inclusive.

FOI Contact Officer, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water

5 Attachments

OFFICIAL

Dear Emily

 

Acknowledgement of Freedom of Information Request No: LEX 81956

 

We refer to your request received by the Department of Climate Change,
Energy, the Environment and Water on 25 December 2025 for access to
documents under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (FOI Act) made in the
following terms:

 

 

'Documents created on or after 1 July 2025 that brief the Secretary and/or
the Minister on the implications of the International Court of Justice
Advisory Opinion on climate change for Australia’s domestic regulatory,
policy, or legislative framework.

 

This includes, but is not limited to, any discussion of:

 

- Australia’s obligations under international law following the Advisory
Opinion;

 

- due diligence obligations in relation to greenhouse gas emissions,
climate risk, or environmental harm;

 

- the adequacy of existing Commonwealth climate frameworks, legislation,
or regulatory measures in light of the Advisory Opinion; and

 

- proposed or recommended policy, regulatory, or legislative responses.

 

Document types:

 

This request is limited to final briefing documents provided to the
Secretary and/or the Minister. Where a briefing document was prepared but
not ultimately provided, this request includes the latest version of that
document.

 

Exclusions:

 

This request does not seek any personal information or duplicate copies of
documents.'

 

 

Your address

 

The FOI Act requires that you provide us with an address which we can send
notices to. You have advised your electronic address is
[1][FOI #14145 email].  We will send all
notices and correspondence to this address.

 

Please advise us as soon as possible if you wish correspondence to be sent
to another address or if your address changes. If you do not advise us of
changes to your address, correspondence and notices will continue to be
sent to the address specified above.

 

Disclosure log

 

Please note that information released under FOI Act may be published in a
disclosure log on the department's website. Section 11C of the FOI Act
requires this publication, however it is subject to certain exceptions,
including where publication of personal, business, professional or
commercial information would be unreasonable.

 

Further assistance

 

If you have any questions, please email [2][email address].

 

Kind regards

 

FOI Contact Officer

Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water

Ngunnawal and Ngambri Country, John Gorton Building, King Edward Terrace

(GPO Box 3090) Parkes ACT 2600 Australia

E [3][email address]

 

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DCCEEW.gov.au ABN 63 573 932 849

 

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OFFICIAL

════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

From: Emily <[FOI #14145 email]>
Sent: Thursday, 25 December 2025 00:47
To: FOI Contact Officer <[DCCEWW request email]>
Subject: Freedom of Information request - ICJ Advisory Opinion

 

Dear FOI Officer,

I seek access under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (Cth) to the
following documents held by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the
Environment and Water.

Scope of request:

Documents created on or after 1 July 2025 that brief the Secretary and/or
the Minister on the implications of the International Court of Justice
Advisory Opinion on climate change for Australia’s domestic regulatory,
policy, or legislative framework.

This includes, but is not limited to, any discussion of:

- Australia’s obligations under international law following the Advisory
Opinion;

- due diligence obligations in relation to greenhouse gas emissions,
climate risk, or environmental harm;

- the adequacy of existing Commonwealth climate frameworks, legislation,
or regulatory measures in light of the Advisory Opinion; and

- proposed or recommended policy, regulatory, or legislative responses.

Document types:

This request is limited to final briefing documents provided to the
Secretary and/or the Minister. Where a briefing document was prepared but
not ultimately provided, this request includes the latest version of that
document.

Exclusions:

This request does not seek any personal information or duplicate copies of
documents.

Extension of time:

I agree to an 8-day extension of time under s 15AA of the FOI Act to
offset the processing days lost over the government's shut down period
from 25 December 2025 to 1 January 2026 inclusive.

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Please use this email address for all replies to this request:

[FOI #14145 email]

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