Barbados: Inter-American Court of Human Rights considers states’ duties on climate change
Starting today in Bridgetown, Barbados, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights will hold the first of two public hearings as it considers states’ legal obligations to respond to the climate emergency.
The governments of Chile and Colombia first approached the Court for an advisory opinion on several intersectional aspects of the climate emergency in January 2023. After receiving an unprecedented number of written submissions from interested and affected parties, the Court resolved to hold public hearings. The first hearings, in Barbados, are scheduled for 23-25 April 2024, and further hearings are scheduled in Brazil from 24-29 May 2024.
The question of states’ legal duties in relation to the impacts of climate change is now before at least three international tribunals: similar requests are pending before the International Court of Justice and the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea.
- The request by Chile and Colombia for the Inter-American Court of Human Rights to make an advisory opinion is available here.
- The Court’s resolution to hold public hearings is available here.
- All written submissions are available here.
This advisory note was prepared by ALT Advisory’s Climate Justice & Sustainability Practice (CJS). With an emphasis on implementation, monitoring, and impact reporting, CJS aims to build climate-resilience through digital transformation and climate and environmental justice. Find out more here.
