Vanuatu Launches the ICJAO Campaign

OFFICIAL PISFCC MEDIA RELEASE

The Vanuatu government has announced its intention to take on the campaign to seek an International Court of Justice Advisory Opinion on the issue of climate change and human rights. This marks a huge step forward in the campaign to have climate change considered by the World’s Highest Court. 

In their announcement, the Vanuatu government highlighted the importance of the campaign amidst the climate emergency that we find ourselves in. It mentioned that Vanuatu will coordinate the efforts of Pacific Island countries and other like-minded countries to seek clarification of the legal duties of large emitters of greenhouse gases with respect to present and future generations. The announcement set out the immediate goal of building a coalition of Pacific states following their endorsement of the campaign. Along with this, key positions, along with that of a Special Envoy, would also be established to further implement this strategy concretely. 

The Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change (PISFCC), a regional youth-led organization who have been campaigning for an advisory opinion from the Court since 2019, welcomed the announcement as a huge milestone for the campaign. Their President, Caleb Pollard highlighted that “The Vanuatu government's announcement is timely. Since the humble beginnings of the campaign by a handful of passionate students of the University of South Pacific, there is now widespread support for the campaign from international human rights bodies, CSOs, academia, and youth from all over the world".

“Global responses to the climate crisis in the Pacific, and other front-line communities, by the international community has been mostly ‘band-aid’ solutions that are in reality just buying more time and failing to provide actual meaningful change. For the sake of Pacific peoples and other front-line communities, we must address the crisis by systematically targeting the root causes of one of the biggest and most imminent threats we face today.” He continued. 

In 2019, the 18 leaders of the Pacific Island Forum noted positively the proposal for an advisory opinion on climate change and human rights in the Leaders Communique. PISFCC's Awareness Chair, Atina Schutz highlighted that "while the PIFs acknowledgment in 2019 was really encouraging, the momentum needs to continue. An endorsement from our leaders would be the perfect catalyst in encouraging the international community to support this."

The Ni-Van international law professor of the University of the South Pacific, Dr Morsen Mosses further affirmed that “advisory opinions are great tools in clarifying and contributing to the development of international law. While they may not be binding, advisory opinions carry great legal and moral authority in motivating a transformational change of mindsets, attitudes, and behaviour of governments, courts, corporations and the general public and the same can be expected from an advisory opinion that seeks to clarify the obligations of states in protecting the rights of current and future generations from the climate crisis”.

Vanuatu Climate Action Network Coordinator, George Koran stated that “this announcement was a big milestone for the Pacific and global youth campaign and provides additional credibility as they work alongside likeminded youth and civil society across the world to encourage governments to support the Pacific call for climate justice from the World's Highest Court”.

There has already been support from CSO's across the region for the campaign as Stephanie Stephens, a Ni-Van Save the Children officer, outlined "civil society support has been very inspiring and the student campaign has evolved to become a key climate ask to the governments with 139 likeminded regional CSO's uniting to call for all Pacific governments to formally support the proposal and take action." 

The campaign seeks to put this as a resolution to the United Nations General Assembly where all countries will be asked to vote on the Vanuatu proposal and seeing greater leadership from states in supporting this resolution would be crucial. PISFCC's Campaign Director, Solomon Yeo, highlighted that “at this critical stage, the leadership of the 'big brothers' of the Pacific (Australia and New Zealand) will be crucial in the campaign's progress. Their incredible track record with the Court notably in the 1996 Nuclear Weapons Advisory Opinion was crucial in the global efforts in curbing nuclear proliferation and we are hopeful to see the same leadership from a climate change advisory opinion.”