Small island nations seek legal action to curb greenhouse gas emissions

Over the course of a two-day hearing, countries including the Bahamas, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Antigua and Barbuda, among others, will request the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea to determine whether greenhouse gas emissions are necessary.

The ocean, one of the planet's largest carbon sinks, absorbs 25% of carbon dioxide emissions, captures 90% of the heat generated by these emissions, and produces half of the world's oxygen.

Most countries have legally binding obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea to take measures to prevent, reduce, and control marine pollution.

If the case, brought by the Small Island States Climate Change and International Law Commission (Cosis), is successful, these obligations may include reducing carbon emissions and protecting marine environments already affected by CO2 pollution.

The states hope this document will guide countries in fulfilling their commitments under the Paris Climate Agreement to reduce emissions necessary to prevent temperatures from rising more than 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels.

In May, scientists warned that the world is likely to exceed the 1.5-degree target by 2027.

Tuvalu's Prime Minister Kausea Natano stated, "Sea levels are rising rapidly, threatening to submerge our lands. Each year, the increasing number and intensity of extreme weather events are killing our people and destroying our infrastructure. All marine and coastal ecosystems are dying in warming and acidifying waters."

It is estimated that half of Tuvalu's capital, Funafuti, will be underwater by 2050.