Agreement for the Establishment of the Commission of Small Island States on Climate Change and International Law (COSIS)

Abstract

This contribution outlines the content of a new agreement, signed initially by Antigua and Barbuda and Tuvalu, that establishes a Commission of Small Island States on Climate Change and International Law. This Commission has, inter alia, the express power to request an advisory opinion from the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) on issues within the ITLOS jurisdiction relating to international law and climate change. The complementary initiative by Vanuatu to seek an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice through the UN General Assembly is also discussed. The text of the agreement is attached as an appendix at the end of this article.