Zambia calls on ICJ to urge developed nations to honour their climate finance promises
By Arnold Tutu
Zambia has called on the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to urge developed countries to honour their climate finance obligations in accordance with international legal instruments.
Solicitor-General Marshall Muchende says industrialized nations are responsible for the climate crisis, while developing countries, including Zambia, bear the brunt of its effects.
Mr. Muchende says despite contributing minimally to global emissions, Zambia has faced severe impacts, including droughts that have affected landmarks like Victoria Falls.
Speaking in The Hague, Netherlands, when he represented the country at the ICJ Advisory Proceedings on Climate Change, Mr. Muchende described Zambia’s debt crisis as a “python” constricting the nation, hindering its ability to invest in climate resilience and infrastructure.
The Solicitor General was joined by Mrs. Sambwa Chilembo, Assistant Director in the Department of International Law and Agreements, and Professor Christian Tams of DLA Piper.
Zambia’s legal team argued that climate finance mechanisms often fail to provide meaningful support, instead offering concessional loans to already debt-distressed nations.
Mrs. Chilembo noted that such loans are inadequate, as they divert resources from critical humanitarian aid and leave vulnerable countries struggling to recover from climate-related disasters.
Professor Tams, representing DLA Piper on a pro bono basis, underscored the need for accountability, urging the ICJ to promote state responsibility as a tool for climate justice.
Zambia’s participation in the ICJ proceedings is part of a broader solidarity effort by over 100 United Nations Member States supporting Vanuatu’s 2017 initiative to seek an Advisory Opinion on state obligations under international law to protect the climate system.
While not legally binding, ICJ Advisory Opinions carry significant moral weight and have the potential to shape state conduct on critical global issues.
