Countries most affected by climate change—as well as citizens and non-profit groups—are increasingly turning to courts to compel governments and fossil fuel producers to address the climate crisis.
One Caribbean island nation, Antigua and Barbuda, is at the forefront of this push. It has backed a UN General Assembly resolution requesting the International Court of Justice to weigh in on the obligations of states in respect of climate change.
Later this year, advisory opinions are set to be delivered by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights and the International Court of Justice in the case backed by Antigua and Barbuda.
A regional climate forum for Latin America and the Caribbean, which takes place in Bogota, Colombia, in August 2024, will see countries and other stakeholders examine ways in which they enhance ambition in their future Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
This video explains how climate change is affecting Antigua and Barbuda and why the country is using the international court and tribunal system to gain redress.
