Concept
On July 8, 1996, the ICJ delivered an historic Advisory Opinion (AO) on the Legality of the Threat or Use of Nuclear Weapons, in which it affirmed that the threat or use of nuclear weapons is generally contrary to international law, and that there is a universal and unconditional obligation to pursue, and bring to a conclusion, negotiations on nuclear disarmament in all its aspects.
The AO has helped consolidate a norm of non-use of nuclear weapons, possibly preventing such use. It has also contributed to the development of law protecting future generations, and has provided inspiration for subsequent advisory opinions on critical global issues, including the recent ICJ Advisory Opinion on the Obligations of States with Respect to Climate Change.
However, the AO remains only partially implemented. Nuclear Weapon States and their allies have not relinquished nuclear deterrence policies (the general threat to use nuclear weapons). Nor have they concluded negotiations on comprehensive nuclear disarmament. This event will consider the legal implications and political impact of the nuclear weapons opinion, and what more must be done to ensure its full implementation.
The event will also consider the lessons from the AO on nuclear weapons for the more recent Advisory Opinion on the Obligations of States with respect to Climate Change, and its full implementation. This includes possibilities of follow-up legal action in domestic, regional and international courts, including potential contentious cases in the International Court of Justice.
In addition, the event will consider the AO process in general, with respect to aggression and other critical global issues, including the proposed AO on the Legal Limits to the use of the Security Council veto, with a special screening of The Veto.
Speakers
- Phon van den Biesen (Netherlands), Co-President, International Association of Lawyers Against Nuclear Arms;
- John Burroughs (USA), Senior Adviser, Lawyers Committee on Nuclear Policy (online)
- Neshan Gunasekera (Sri Lanka/Germany), CEO, World Future Council. Co-founder, LAW not War. Co-convener, ImPact Coalition on Strengthening International Judicial Institutions
- Kathleen Lawand (Switzerland), Senior consultant. International humanitarian law & policy, arms control & disarmament, multilateral diplomacy & strategy, Geneva Centre for Security Policy. Senior Adviser, Horizon 2045.
- Charles Moxley (USA), Adjunct Professor of Law, Fordham Law School. Fellow, College of Commercial Arbitrators.
- Natia Ninoshvili (Georgia/Czech Republic). PNND Program Officer, Core Team Member, Youth Fusion;
- Ayleen Roy (Austria), Core Team Member, Youth Fusion
- Prof. Nico Schrijver (Netherlands), Emeritus Professor of Public International Law at Leiden Law School;
- Rebecca Shoot (USA), Co-convenor, ImPact Coalition on Strengthening International Judicial Institutions. Co-founder, LAW not War. Chair Washington Working Group on the ICC;
- Amela Skiljan (Germany), LL.M.Eur. (University of Bremen). Deputy Chair, International Association of Lawyers Against Nuclear Arms (IALANA) Germany. Council Member, International Peace Burea
- Prof Jennifer Trahan (USA). Clinical Professor, NYU’s Center for Global Affairs. Author, Existing Legal Limits to Security Council Veto Power in the Face of Atrocity Crimes by video message
- Alyn Ware (New Zealand/Czech Republic), Program Director, World Federalist Movement-Institute for Global Policy. International Representative, Aotearoa Lawyers for Peace. Global Coordinator, Parliamentarians for Nuclear Nonproliferation and Disarmament.
- more speakers to be confirmed.
This is one of a number of events planned around the world to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the ICJ Advisory Opinion on the Legality of the Threat or Use of Nuclear Weapons.
Draft Program
Wednesday July 8
13:30 Registration
14:00 Opening Plenary: LAW not War - The important roles of the ICJ
14:45 Panel 1. The ICJ Advisory Opinion on nuclear weapons
16:15: Coffee break
16:45 Panel 2. The ICJ Advisory Opinion on climate change
17:50 Concluding comments for Day 1 and announcements
19:00 Conference dinner
Thursday July 9
9:30 Panel 3. Implementing the legal imperatives end nuclear deterence and abolish nuclear weapons
10:30 Panel 4. LAW not War: Advancing ICJ jurisdiction and addressing aggression
11:30 Coffee break
12:00 Session 5: The ICJ and the Legal Limits to the Veto
13:15 Final Plenary and closing comments
13:30 Lunch
15:00 Tour of Hague international peace sites and 3D Nuke Missile social media action
Event cosponsors
Aotearoa Lawyers for Peace, Basel Peace Office, Earth Trusteeship Working Group, Global Security Institute, Horizon 2045, ImPACT Coalition on Strengthening the International Judicial Institutions, International Association of Lawyers Against Nuclear Arms (Netherlands Section), Lawyers Committee on Nuclear Policy, Parliamentarians for Nuclear Nonproliferation and Disarmament, Physicians for Social Responsibility and the Prevention of Nuclear War (PSR/IPPNW Switzerland), Pugwash Netherlands, United Nations Association of NZ, Wereld Federalisten Beweging Nederland, World Federalist Movement-Institute for Global Policy and World Future Council.
Registration opens soon
For more information contact Alyn Ware