Last month, dem tell di rich countries for di world say make dem reduce di dangerous greenhouse gas (GhG) wey dem dey release, faster pass di developing countries.
Small island nations wey dey surrounded by water no dey contribute plenty to di global GhG emissions, but na dem dey suffer pass di wahala wey climate change dey cause. Di rich countries dey produce di highest level of toxic emissions, but nobody dey hold dem accountable for wetin dem dey do.
Di International Tribunal for di Law of di Sea (ITLOS) don try balance di matter for dia recent ruling. Dem check wetin di UN Convention on di Law of di Sea talk, as e concern how countries suppose protect di ocean.
ITLOS wey dey for Hamburg, Germany, give dia advisory opinion because of di case wey di Commission of Small Island States on Climate Change and International Law carry go meet dem.
Even though 196 countries sign di Paris Agreement for di UN Climate Change Conference (COP21) for 2015, di agreement no get enforcement mechanism. Di rich countries dey claim say dem fit set dia own climate targets anyhow dem like, without any legal framework.
But on May 21, ITLOS talk say di Paris Agreement no reach. Dem talk say di law of di sea dey give countries specific legal obligations, and say anybody wey no comply go face di consequences. Dis ruling come at di time wey di ocean dey warm fast, wey dey cause wahala for di planet biodiversity and humanity survival. But how dem go enforce di decision still dey unclear.
Dr. Vandana Shiva, wey be environmental activist and founder of one of India first seed banks, talk about di decision from di foothills of di Himalayas. She dey live for Dehradun, for north India Uttarakhand state.
TRT World: Why small island communities dey most at risk for climate change?
Vandana Shiva: Small island communities and mountain communities like di ones for Himalayas no dey cause di pollution wey dey spoil di earth. But na dem dey suffer pass from di pollution wey di rich countries dey cause.
Dis communities no get protection, so di wahala dey hit dem hard. For small island nations, di warmer world dey cause sea level to rise because snow dey melt and di water dey increase.
Land erosion sef dey happen. Di people life dey around di coast and beaches, but now some islands dey sink or like di ones for Sundarbans for Bay of Bengal, di land dey disappear.
Hurricanes and cyclones sef don dey increase, and dem dey hit di islands hard. One cyclone fit scatter food supply if dem dey depend on imported food. Na why di small islands dey vulnerable and na why dem carry dia case go ITLOS.
TRT World: Di advisory opinion wey dem issue, e dey legally binding? If e no dey, e fit still bring change?
Vandana Shiva: Di law of di sea dey legally binding, and you no fit separate ocean behaviour from di climate behaviour. Di climate and di ocean dey connected, and di law of di sea dey cover both.
But di climate treaty wey bin dey legally binding before, na Obama for 2009 kill am for Copenhagen. E change am to voluntary commitments, and di rich countries dey hide behind dat excuse now.
TRT World: Di tribunal ruling, e fit make di rich countries accountable?
Vandana Shiva: If di small island nations join hand and maintain di ecological and scientific lead, e fit work. Scientists dey talk say di biggest crisis now na di destabilisation of di ocean system.
TRT World: Wetin go happen if di ocean currents destabilise?
Vandana Shiva: E mean say rain fit no fall. For India, di monsoon dey fail because of dis. Di monsoon dey important for di economy, without am, India no go fit survive.
Di advisory opinion dey remind di rich countries say dem dey responsible for di pollution and dem suppose pay. Di 'polluter pays' principle wey dem agree for di Earth Summit 1992 still dey valid.
