BAHAMAS-Bahamas submits position on climate change to ICJ.

NASSAU, Bahamas, CMC- Attorney General Ryan Pinder says the Bahamas government has formally submitted a legal brief to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) addressing positions filed by various countries regarding climate change.

The ICJ is the principal judiciary of the United Nations (UN) and the only international court that hears disputes between nations. It was established in 1945 by the UN Charter and is located at the Peace Palace in The Hague.

In a statement on Friday, the ICJ said that 91 written statements had been filed in the Registry in total.

“Under Article 106 of the Rules of Court, the Court may decide to make the written statements accessible to the public on or after the opening of the oral proceedings in the case,” it said.

In March, Prime Minister Phillip Davis said the Bahamas calls on the ICJ to make” clear the legal obligations of states to reduce harmful policies and protect current and future generations from the most devastating impacts of climate change.”

Pinder said the ICJ’s advisory opinion will provide much-needed guidance on states’ responsibilities to address climate change.

“It will strengthen the legal framework for climate action and hold states accountable for their contributions to the crisis<‘ said Pinder, who, earlier this year,r had announced that Nassau supported a United Nations Resolution requesting an advisory opinion on states’ obligations regarding climate change.

He told reporters that this week’s Bahamas brief responds to the arguments presented by other countries and advocates for holding states liable for failing to enforce climate regulations and manage greenhouse gas emissions.

The Bahamas’ submission argues that the climate crisis, which severely impacts nations like the Bahamas, is essentially a result of other states’ negligence. The country’s brief aims to establish legal accountability for these states’ failure to address and mitigate climate emergencies.

Pinder said oral arguments in the case are scheduled for December 2024.

He described the case as groundbreaking and could set a significant precedent in international climate law.

Pinder said that while the details of the submissions remain confidential, they are expected to be made public later this year in preparation for the upcoming hearings.