Moroccan experts urge using ICJ climate ruling to demand justice, compensation from polluters
ICJ Climate Ruling: Morocco Seeks Justice & Compensation
Experts Say Opinion Provides Legal Framework to Hold Polluters Accountable
Moroccan environmental and sustainable development experts are hailing the recent International Court of Justice (ICJ) advisory opinion on climate change as a crucial legal victory. They argue it establishes clear responsibilities for industrialized nations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate climate damage, paving the way for developing countries like Morocco to seek financial compensation for losses.
Demanding Accountability: A Legal Tool For Developing Nations
Experts emphasize that the ICJ's ruling provides a powerful legal framework for holding polluter countries accountable. Legal Advisor and Professor Al Arabi Abdelbassit states that this decision empowers vulnerable nations and future generations to demand restoration, financial compensation, and moral reparations if industrialized nations fail to meet their obligations under international law.
Climate Impacts: Devastating Consequences For Developing Nations
Mustapha Al Issat, an expert in environment and sustainable development, highlights the disproportionate impact of climate change on developing countries. He cites devastating floods that have claimed thousands of lives in North Africa, Spain, and other vulnerable regions, as well as droughts causing widespread damage to farmland and biodiversity.
He argues that while major powers like the U.S., which withdrew from the Paris Agreement, continue to avoid responsibility, the ICJ ruling provides a legal basis for demanding compensation and pushing them to fulfill climate funding promises.
Morocco's Vulnerable Position: Urgent Need For Financial Support
Al Issat urges Morocco to take immediate action based on this ruling, emphasizing its position as one of the countries most exposed to climate change. He points out that Morocco already incurs significant financial strain managing water resources and combating drought through projects like desalination.
Mustapha Bramel, head of the Ecological Lighthouses Association, emphasizes that the ICJ opinion clarifies responsibility for pollution and the burden it places on developing nations and island communities facing severe climate impacts.
Bramel urges Morocco to leverage this ruling to secure funding for crucial projects such as water desalination, pollution cleanup, and biodiversity protection, while holding major polluters accountable.