March 2, 2023
GENEVA (CH) — The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) celebrates yesterday’s announcement that 105 countries co-sponsored a UN resolution requesting an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on human rights and climate change. The advisory opinion was initially requested following an initiative by the island country Vanuatu.
CIEL’s Human Rights and Climate Campaign Manager Sébastien Duyck said:
“More than half of the world’s States have already answered the call of the Pacific youth – who built the momentum behind this initiative. This is an incredible milestone and a collective reaffirmation of the need for States to fully uphold their human rights obligations in the context of the ongoing climate emergency.
This herculean achievement would have not been possible without the leadership of the government of Vanuatu, youth groups, and civil society who are tirelessly advocating to bring the world’s biggest problem, the climate crisis, to the world’s highest court.
Today we celebrate this testament to the power of Pacific youths & community-driven campaigns. Tomorrow we will advocate for a unanimous adoption of this far-reaching resolution at the UN General Assembly.”
Note of the editors:
The 105 countries include: Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Bulgaria, Cabo Verde, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Eritrea, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Kiribati, Latvia, Lebanon, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Maldives, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritania, Mauritius, Mexico, Micronesia (Federated States of), Monaco, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Palau, Panama, Papua New Guinea, Portugal, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Serbia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Spain, Sri Lanka, State of Palestine, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Timor-Leste, Togo, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Tuvalu, Uganda, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United Republic of Tanzania, Vanuatu and Viet Nam.
Media contact:
Niccolo Sarno: press@ciel.org