What has been called a ‘historic accord’ was signed on Sunday in Edingburgh between Antigua and Barbuda’s Prime Minister who is also the current Chair of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) and the Prime Minister of Tuvalu.
The agreement is expected to open the way for ground-breaking litigation before international courts, offering “a novel legal path to address the severe damage to Small Island States caused by climate change”.
It establishes a Commission of Small Island States on Climate Change and International Law, creating a body for the development and implementation of fair and just global environmental norms and practices.
The Commission is also authorized to request advisory opinions from the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) on the legal responsibility of States for carbon emissions, marine pollution, and rising sea levels.