PISFCC Campaigns at COP26
The ICJAO Campaign team.
Learn more about our events at pisfcc.org/cop26
The PISFCC campaign team participated at COP26 with a three member– team campaigning to amplify and advance the Pacific call for an ICJ advisory opinion. COVID-19 posed a great deal of challenges in the initial planning and logistics stage of the campaign and as a result some of the members of the campaign team were unable to travel. Despite these setbacks, the PISFCC campaign team were determined to continue with its campaign plan at COP26.
Panelists at the BENELUX-EIB Pavilion Event.
L-R: Dennis Jansen (WYCJ Representative), Amb. Odo Tevi (Permanent Representative of Vanuatu to the UN), Hon. Aiyaz Saiyed-Khaiyum (Fijian Attorney General and Minister for Climate Change), Jule Schnakenberg (WYCJ Representative), Solomon Yeo (Campaign Director, PISFCC)
The team at COP26 organised and held three high-profile side events on the ICJ advisory opinion campaign in collaboration with the World’s Youth for Climate Justice. The first was an event at the BENELUX-EIB pavilion which saw government ministers, ambassadors and youth participating on a discussion on the campaign for an ICJAO. At the event, Ambassador Odo Tevi highlighted why Vanuatu is pursuing the ICJAO campaign and what this would mean for broader action on climate change. Similarly, the Fijian Minister for Climate Change Hon. Aiyaz Saiyed-Khaiyum also discussed how such an ICJAO can contribute to the development of jurisprudence and act as useful guidelines for courts when considering the impact of climate change on people’s human rights.
Youth representatives with Government of Vanuatu representatives at the BENELUX-EIB pavilion
Members of the audience at the BENELUX-EIB Pavilion event.
Q&A session
Following this discussion, the campaign organised a more legal and technical gathering at the University of Glasgow for Law and Governance Day in a bid to discuss the finer legal and technical details and workings of an ICJAO, what elements and themes must be discussed in the legal question, and how such an opinion can help the work under the Paris Agreement. The event saw notable international law experts such as Prof. Jorge Viñuales, Prof Lavanya Rajamani, Adv Monica Tinta, among others all echoing and reinforcing their belief in the ICJAO as being a potent catalysing and advancing climate justice.
Law and Governance Day at the University of Glasgow
WYCJ’s Aditi Shetye speaking with the organisers of the Law and Governance Day
Adv. Monica Tinta and WYCJ’s Manon Ruby during the Law and Governance Day
PISFCC Campaign Director Solomon Yeo, Legal Advisor Edgardo Sobenes, and Adv. Monica Tinta after the Law and Governance Day event.
Commonwealth Pavilion Side-Event
The final event saw a similar discussion on the utility of an ICJAO but with a unique focus on oceans. It brought together government officials from the Pacific, CSO representatives and youth to speak on a broad range of topics such as a carbon levy on shipping, the use of blue bonds, and even deep-sea mining. Discussions at this side event revealed the many threats that our oceans face and how these can be addressed through the development of international law to which an ICJAO seeks to contribute towards.
WYCJ Representative and Moderator Brighde Watt
Davila Talemaimaleya delivering her address at the event.
Fijian Governement’s Kushaal Raj speaking at the event.
Q&A session
Conclusion of the side event
Youth representatives at the Youth reception on the ICJAO
Apart from these events, the COP26 campaign sought to renew existing and build new connections and relationships with partners and stakeholders across the world. A youth reception was organised for this purpose to gather young people for a short induction on the ICJAO campaign followed by group discussions with attendees on how they can engage and contribute towards the campaign. Several notable contacts from Asia, the Latin Americas, Africa, and Caribbean were built all strengthening the global movement under the WYCJ.
Youth Reception
Discussions continue at the Youth Reception at COP26
PISFCC members also discussed with vital stakeholders on the campaign plan post-UNGA and how youth can engage in the formal processes and help ensure that their voice and demands would be considered once the matter is referred to the ICJ.
In building and solidifying the visibility of the campaign, COP26 provided a great opportunity for the campaign team to strategise and campaign on the ground for the first time since the global pandemic. A number of strategy sessions, briefing and de-brief sessions were held both pre and post COP26 to maximise the opportunities that were present at COP26. Media played a vital role in ensuring the developments at the conference was communicated to young people all over the world, but more so was an attempt to ensure that the campaign at COP26 was not in a silo but in collaboration with other CSO’s and youth back home and abroad.
Looking ahead, COP26 has shown that there is great interest and appetite for the campaign with an overflow of support from various stakeholders. With just 10 months until the vote at the 77th UNGA, the campaign shifts gears as we look ahead to a more intense round of campaigning in 2022. COP26 has indeed taught us valuable lessons and more so has set the foundation for 2022.
Learn more about our events or watch the complete recordings at pisfcc.org/cop26
