Oslo Principles on Climate Change Obligations

The Oslo Principles on Climate Change Obligations (Oslo Principles) embody a set of principles on the essential obligations of states and enterprises to prevent the critical level of global warming. The Principles express both (i) the current obligations that all States and enterprises have to defend and protect the Earth’s climate and, thus, its biosphere; and (ii) basic means of meeting those obligations. Within the context of the response to climate change, the precautionary principle calls for the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to the extent, and at a pace, necessary to protect against the threats of climate change that can still be avoided. Significantly, with respect to the application of the precautionary principle, the Principles that the measures required should be adopted without regard to the cost, unless that cost is completely disproportionate to the reduction in emissions that will be brought about by expending it. Further, states and enterprises must generally avoid new activities that create excessive GHG emissions, unless they take countervailing measures.