In a significant development in global climate justice discourse, Caribbean Court of Justice President Justice Winston Anderson has put forward a groundbreaking proposal for an International Climate Injuries Compensation (ICIC) Fund. The initiative, designed to provide financial assistance to nations ravaged by climate-related disasters, was unveiled during the Inter-American Seminar on Climate Emergency and Human Rights in Brasília, Brazil.
The seminar, jointly hosted by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights and Brazil’s Supreme Court, served as the platform for Justice Anderson’s compelling argument that existing legal frameworks, while important, remain insufficient in addressing the scale of climate devastation. He specifically highlighted the vulnerability of small island states, referencing the catastrophic impact of Hurricane Melissa in October 2025 as a prime example of the disproportionate suffering borne by Caribbean nations.
Justice Anderson’s proposal establishes a novel mechanism whereby multinational corporations exceeding predetermined greenhouse gas emission thresholds would be mandated to contribute financially through their operating states. The fund would possess legal standing, enabling affected jurisdictions to pursue litigation following major climate events.
Drawing inspiration from the International Oil Pollution Compensation Funds, the ICIC model operates firmly within the ‘polluter pays’ principle framework. Justice Anderson initially presented this concept at a climate justice forum in Barbados in January 2026, expressing particular concern about the implementation delays and funding inadequacies of the existing Paris Agreement loss and damage fund. He cited Jamaica’s situation as evidence, noting the country could access merely US$20 million despite facing an estimated US$6-7 billion in climate-related damages.