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Modernizing the Role of the International Court of Justice

  • Discusses the future role of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in a world facing survival challenges
  • Proposes the ICJ apply a hitherto unused jurisdictional provisional in Article 36 of its statute to tackle these issues
  • Presents three examples of matters requiring the urgent attention of the ICJ, for instance mass climate change migration

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Table of contents (9 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xxi
  2. Introduction

    • Bertrand Ramcharan
    Pages 1-16
  3. An International Protection Role for the ICJ

    • Bertrand Ramcharan
    Pages 89-111
  4. A Judicial Review Role for the ICJ

    • Bertrand Ramcharan
    Pages 113-120
  5. Conclusion

    • Bertrand Ramcharan
    Pages 121-128
  6. Back Matter

    Pages 129-195

About this book

This book discusses the future role of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in a world facing survival challenges. It discusses threats such as climate change, environmental degradation and pandemics, and argues that in the future the ICJ will need to carry out judicial, security and protection functions as it is the only organ of the United Nations (UN) that can discharge such functions in view of its independence and expertise. 

The author proposes that the ICJ can apply a hitherto unused jurisdictional provision in Article 36 of its statute that allows it to deal with "All Matters Specially Provided for in the UN Charter" and presents three examples of issues that would require the urgent attention of the ICJ: vaccine equity in a global pandemic, climate disaster, and mass movements of people across frontiers due to climate change and environmental degradation. 


Bertrand Ramcharan (Guyana) is a Barrister-at-Law of Lincoln’s Inn with a Doctorate in international law from the London School of Economics (LSE) and the Diploma in International Law of the Hague Academy of International Law. He was LSE International Law Scholar and has been Commissioner of the International Commission of Jurists and a Member of the Permanent Court of Arbitration. He has also been Director of the Research Centre of the Hague Academy of International Law (The Right to Life), Professor at the Geneva Graduate Institute, and Chancellor of the University of Guyana. He is a former Chief speech-writer of the UN Secretary-General, and has performed the functions of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. His doctoral thesis was on the approach of the International Law Commission to the codification and progressive development of international law. 


Authors and Affiliations

  • Segny, France

    Bertrand Ramcharan

Bibliographic Information

Buy it now

Buying options

eBook USD 99.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book USD 129.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book USD 129.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Other ways to access