Australia Wins Climate Case Against Torres Strait Elders

The Australian government has successfully defended a climate change lawsuit brought by Indigenous elders from the Torres Strait Islands. The elders had argued the government breached its duty of care by failing to protect their islands from climate change impacts, citing significantly higher sea-level rise in the region compared to the global average. However, a Federal Court judge dismissed the case, ruling that climate policy is within the purview of parliament and not the courts. The court also determined the government does not have a specific duty of care to protect these islands from climate change.