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In its first climate change case, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea determined that a global ocean convention extends to greenhouse gases, meaning countries have an obligation to reduce them.
The 21-judge panel agreed unanimously that national obligations to protect oceans extend to greenhouse gases that are causing seawater temperatures to rise dramatically, and that countries must “take all necessary measures to prevent, reduce and control marine pollution” related to climate change.
Why is this important?
The decision is not legally binding, but it could be used by courts in the 169 countries that are members of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, including major emitters such as China and the European Union. The United States is not a party to the convention.
“The power of this case has been its simplicity: Greenhouse gas emissions are pollution, and as such they trigger these exacting obligations,” said Payam Akhavan, lead counsel representing the small island nations that brought the case before the tribunal.
Read the full post at Scientific American.
