Abstract
As noted in Preface to the previous EPL Issue 55 (1), the year 2025 began on a positive note wherein the plenary organ of the United Nations – the General Assembly – took cognizance of the global pall of gloom on various fronts. Hence, the UNGA asserted “the relevance of hope and well-being as universal goals and aspirations in the lives of human beings around the world and the importance of their recognition in public policy objectives” (resolution 79/270 of March 04, 2025). Continuing with this spree of going to the roots that nurture the humankind, the Assembly invoked (resolution 79/315 of June 30, 2025), mooted by the Latin American countries, the Wiphala tradition reflecting the “multicoloured rainbow, composed of seven colours harmoniously arranged in a geometric grid pattern, inspired by the order, harmony and beauty of Nature” especially since it “embodies a unity of values and ways of life grounded in respect for life” (A/79/L.95; June 12, 2025). It is indicative of the growing acceptance of the humankind's umbilical link with Mother Earth.
In the multilateral processes, the abovementioned allusion by the political organ in the 80th anniversary year (1945–2025) of the UN, provides a ray of hope for touching the conscience of the 193-member states for behavioral change to address the global environmental challenges. Such a multilayered approach, in conjunction with working on the hard and soft instruments, could provide an impetus for taking the different facets of the planetary level crisis seriously. The author saw this vividly at the 62nd meeting (June 16–26, 2025) of the Subsidiary Bodies on climate change at the World Conference Center in Bonn, Germany. The annual assemblage brought 9,486 registered participants including 3,292 party delegates, 2,393 observers, and 308 media personnel (ENB vol. 12/876; June 30, 2025). Amidst struggle for chasing the elusive goal of 1.5°C goal, lack of agreement on the agenda and issues of means of implementation, the parties finally agreed to refine the list of indicators to measure progress toward the Global Goal on Adaptation. It showed the negotiators holding on to the thread of hope in attaining the climate change goals as the stage is set for the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change's 30th meeting of the Conference of Parties (November 10–21, 2025) in Belém, Brazil.
Thus, it appears, brick-by-brick approach provides the best way out in resolving some of the contemporary global environmental problems emanating from the planetary level crisis. It calls for the role of scholars to stay the course and provide ideational solutions to the ‘decision-makers’. As such this EPL issue comprises three articles on climate change: a brief commentary on the ITLOS Advisory Opinion on Climate Change and Marine Pollution (Jamil Afzal and Ibrar Ahmad), a critical analysis of the French Climate and Resilience Law (Neyla Mohamed-Benkadda and Julio Guinea Bonillo) and some reflections on the Livestock Sector's Contribution to Climate Change (Melina Moreira Campos Lima). Each of them seeks to address the climate change issue in a global, national and sector-specific context. Apart from these, the issue of ‘ecocide’ remains a matter of global scholarly discourse as seen in the article providing legal analysis of the discourse on Ecocide as a Separate Crime under the Rome Statute (Cansu Atılgan Pazvantoglu). The last article provides an understanding of the Intergenerational Equity through the Prism of Legal Interpretivism (Ben Chester Cheong).
With the offering of these scholarly articles, the EPL earnestly contributes to the global knowledge pool. We hope that some of the ideas would stir the chord of the decision-makers of the UN Member States “to promote the appreciation of and respect for all cultures” as well as to live “in harmony, balance and complementarity with Mother Earth”.