Prof. Jean-Marc Thouvenin, partner leading the International Litigation and Arbitration Department at Sygna Partners, is taking part in the historic proceedings before the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea/Tribunal international du droit de la mer of the Sea (ITLOS) in representation of the Commission of Small Island States (COSIS) and their request for an advisory opinion concerning climate change and international law.
On 12 December 2022, ITLOS received a request from COSIS to render an advisory opinion which seeks to clarify what are the specific obligations of State Parties to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea in relation to climate change and its effects on the world’s oceans. The resulting advisory opinion will assist States in the protection of the world’s oceans and those most vulnerable to climate change impacts, including ocean warming, sea level rise, and ocean acidification.