Navigating the International Advisory Opinions on Climate Change
Roundtable Dialogue
UNFCCC COP 27
Singapore Pavilion Side Event
17th Nov 2022 (Pre-recorded)
Will go live on the website on 10:30 – 11:30 AM (Egypt) 4:30 – 5:30 PM (Singapore) but will be available to view anytime after
Recording available at https://www.cop-pavilion.gov.sg/Site/PartnerProgrammes
Climate litigation has been growing exponentially over the past few years and has garnered some success in holding governments and corporates accountable to their climate obligations. While cases are mostly with local and national courts, there are current efforts to bring forward international litigation on climate change. Vanuatu is leading the campaign for the U.N. General Assembly to request an advisory opinion on countries’ obligations to protect the rights of present and future generations against the adverse impacts of climate change. Antigua & Barbuda, Tuvalu, joined by Palau with the Commission of Small Island States (COSIS) on Climate Change and International Law are also aiming to bring a case to the U.N. International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) to determine the obligations of countries under international law and hold polluters accountable. This panel reviews these efforts and examines the opportunities and challenges that advisory opinions present in enhancing climate ambition and increasing climate action.
Panellists
Dr. Nilufer Oral (CIL Director and Member of the International Law Commission)
Mr. Malcolm Dalesa (Climate Attache in New York, Republic of Vanuatu)
Prof. Payam Akhavan (Legal Counsel to COSIS, Special Adviser on Genocide to the International Criminal Court, and Professor and Senior Fellow at Massey College, University of Toronto)
Prof. Margaretha Wewerinke-Singh (Lead Counsel to Vanuatu on the ICJ Initiative, Member of Committee of Legal Experts of COSIS, and Assistant Professor at Universiteit Leiden)
Moderator
Danielle Yeow (Lead, Climate Change Law and Policy and Adjunct Senior Research Fellow, NUS CIL)