Leaders in the Caribbean have heralded a landmark ICJ ruling as a historic legal victory for small island states. The ruling confirms that states that fail to address fossil fuel emissions may face reparations. This opinion strengthens the negotiating power of regions like the Caribbean. Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves emphasized the ruling connects climate treaties to human rights laws. The advisory opinion defines a clean and sustainable environment as a human right, opening new legal avenues for climate action, particularly for nations like the Bahamas affected by severe hurricanes.
In recent years the Caribbean has been plagued by a string of catastrophic hurricanes. Last year Hurricane Beryl demolished more than 90% of buildings in parts of multi-island SVG and left thousands homeless and without running water, electricity and food.
Gonsalves said the advisory opinion—which said a clean, healthy and sustainable environment is a human right—connects climate action treaties such as the Paris agreement to other international laws such as those governing human rights.
The prime minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG), Ralph Gonsalves, told the Guardian it would strengthen the Caribbean's negotiating power.
The ICJ, in providing a landmark advisory opinion, could see states ordered to pay reparations if they fail to tackle fossil fuels and prevent harm to the climate system.
Collection
[
|
...
]