International Court of Justice (ICJ) Receives The Highest Number Of Written Submissions For An Advisory Opinion

ON 22 March 2024, a historic 91 written submissions have formally been submitted to the ICJ  by States and International Organisations outlining perspectives and proposed solutions to combat climate change.

This marks the highest number of submissions ever received by the ICJ in any advisory opinion proceedings, underscoring the pressing urgency and collective determination to safeguard the planet for future generations.

These submissions are viewpoints and strategies and aim to underscore a growing recognition of the necessity for global action to confront the climate crisis. 

The the 91 submissions are from Portugal, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Colombia, Palau, Tonga, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, the International Union for Conservation of Nature, Singapore, Peru, Solomon Islands, Canada, the Cook Islands, Seychelles, Kenya, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden (jointly), the Melanesian Spearhead Group, the Philippines, Albania, Vanuatu, the Federated States of Micronesia, Saudi Arabia, Sierra Leone, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Grenada, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Bahamas, the United Arab Emirates, the Marshall Islands, the Parties to the Nauru Agreement Office, the Pacific Islands Forum, France, New Zealand, Slovenia, Kiribati, the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency, China, Timor-Leste, the Republic of Korea, India, Japan, Samoa, the Alliance of Small Island States, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Latvia, Mexico, South Africa, Ecuador, Cameroon, Spain, Barbados, the African Union, Sri Lanka, the Organisation of African Caribbean and Pacific States, Madagascar, Uruguay, Egypt, Chile, Namibia, Tuvalu, Romania, the United States of America, Bangladesh, the European Union, Kuwait, Argentina, Mauritius, Nauru, the World Health Organisation, Costa Rica, Indonesia, Pakistan, the Russian Federation, Antigua and Barbuda, the Commission of Small Island States on Climate Change and International Law, El Salvador, the Plurinational State of Bolivia, Australia, Brazil, VietNam, the Dominican Republic, Ghana, Thailand, Germany, Nepal, Burkina Faso and the Gambia. 

The submissions may also delve into legal aspects of climate change, including liability and compensation for loss and damage, while highlighting the importance of already established frameworks like the Paris Agreement.

Next is the Written Comments phase on June 24, 2024, which will enable only those participants who have filed their submissions to foster discussion, and offer feedback on each other's submissions before moving on to the Oral Proceedings. 

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