In a landmark ruling, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea declared that greenhouse gasses constitute marine pollution, a significant victory for small island states facing rising sea levels due to global warming. The tribunal’s first climate-related judgment recognized emissions from fossil fuels and other greenhouse gasses absorbed by oceans as marine pollution. This advisory opinion, which sets a precedent for future cases, mandates countries to exceed the 2015 Paris Agreement requirements to protect the marine environment and the vulnerable states dependent on it.

Small island nations, often overlooked in global climate discussions, have achieved a critical legal acknowledgment of their difficult situation. The court emphasized states’ legal duty to monitor and reduce climate change-contributing emissions, with specific requirements for environmental impact assessments. It also asserted that states’ greenhouse gas reduction targets must be based on the best available science and international standards, raising the bar beyond the Paris Agreement. Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne highlighted that this ruling will guide future legal and diplomatic efforts to combat climate inaction.