The Philippines will take part in the proceedings of the United Nations' (UN) International Court of Justice (ICJ) on climate change, the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) said on Monday, Dec. 2.
“The Philippines will participate in the oral proceedings at the International Court of Justice on the request of the UN General Assembly for an Advisory Opinion on the question of the Obligations of States in respect of Climate Change,” said Solicitor General Menardo I. Guevarra.
Guevarra is already in The Hague, Netherlands along with Philippine Ambassador to the Netherlands J. Eduardo Malaya and Ambassador Carlos Sorreta, the Philippine Permanent Representative to the UN Office in Geneva.
Guevarra said the three of them will deliver the oral statement of the Philippines this Dec. 3 at around 12:45 pm Central European time (7:45 pm Philippine time).
The ICJ started on Monday a two-week long hearing to determine what countries are obliged to do under international law to protect the climate and environment from human-caused greenhouse gas emissions.
The UN court will also determine the legal consequences for governments for their acts or lack of action that led to the harming of the climate and environment.
During the two weeks, 99 countries and more than a dozen intergovernmental organizations will be participating in the proceedings.
The UN General Assembly sought the legal opinion from the ICJ following years of lobbying from island nations which fear disappearing from rising sea waters that are caused by climate change.
The ICJ ruling would be non-binding and unable to directly force wealthy nations into action to help struggling countries but might serve as the basis for other legal actions, including domestic lawsuits.