Deputy Permanent Representative of the Permanent Mission of Barbados to the United Nations, Nicholas Cox, delivering Barbados’ national statement on the Report of the ICJ at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. (GP)
Barbados has underscored its commitment to the work of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), specifically focusing on the Court’s work in the area of climate change.
This was highlighted by Deputy Permanent Representative of the Permanent Mission of Barbados to the United Nations, Nicholas Cox, who delivered Barbados’ national statement on the Report of the ICJ at the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Friday, November 14.
While referencing the increased workload of the Court, even in the face of declining resources at its disposal, Mr. Cox noted that the ICJ has stood firm in its dedication to justice and the rule of law. There was specific mention of the Court’s groundbreaking Advisory Opinion on the Obligation of States in Respect of the Opinion on Climate Change issued on July 23, 2025.
“Barbados was among the 166 countries that co-sponsored the General Assembly resolution requesting the Court to provide this opinion. And we will be working with others in this session of the General Assembly towards a resolution welcoming this important opinion. We were also among the almost 100 countries that provided extensive written submissions and participated in the oral hearings last year. For Barbados, as for many smaller countries participating in this process, it was the first time we appeared before the Court,” he said.
Mr. Cox made note of the timeliness of the Court’s advisory opinion, noting the recent devastation caused to several Caribbean nations because of Hurricane Melissa, “a uniquely ferocious Category 5 storm. A storm whose formation, intensity and trajectory, are, in all likelihood, the result of the man-made climate crisis that was at the centre of the Court’s advisory opinion.”
