The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) has issued a long-awaited advisory opinion on the environmental impact liability of states to address climate change and greenhouse gases, according to statements from OceanCare.
Greenhouse gas emissions
Under international law, the tribunal’s judges ruled unequivocally that carbon(and other greenhouse gas) emissions absorbed by the ocean should be considered marine pollution.
This ruling underscores the obligation of the world’s nations to protect and preserve the marine environment. The advisory opinion was requested by a group of island nations whose existence is being compromised and threatened by rising sea levels caused by climate change.
Moreover, the tribunal’s position was unanimous and objective: ” Anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases underlie marine pollution,” according to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea(UNCLOS).
Ecosystem restoration
States have the obligation to take all necessary measures to prevent, reduce and control those emissions that cause climate change. And thus ocean warming and acidification, commented Dr. James Kerry, OceanCare’s marine and climate scientist.
Also, the court detailed the obligation of states to restore ecosystems as part of their commitments under UNCLOS to preserve the marine environment. These restoration efforts should be based on the best available science and focus on the ecosystems themselves.
The advisory opinion itself is not a legally binding instrument. However, by interpreting existing international law, it functions as an objective and determinative directive to governments around the world and could form a basis for future changes.
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Source: Safety4Sea
Photo: Shutterstock
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