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Posts published in September 2011

Palau Plans to Seek ICJ Advisory Opinion on Climate Change

The UN News Centre reports that the small island state of Palau plans to seek an advisory opinion from the ICJ in relation to climate change. While the exact details of the plan is not yet clear, this is indeed a significant development. The ICJ has on previous occasions ruled that, while states have the sovereign right to explore their natural resources, states are under an obligation to “ensure that activities within their jurisdiction and control respect the environment of other States or of areas beyond national control”.  Not surprisingly, though, the problem of climate change presents litigants with a…