Youth and Civil Society Launch Climate Justice Handbook

Following the historic adoption of the UN General Assembly Resolution asking the International Court of Justice to issue an Advisory Opinion on climate change and human rights, the youth and civil society campaign are delighted to announce the launch of the Youth Climate Justice Handbook. 

The Handbook is a tool aimed to assist states in making submissions before the ICJ. It seeks to highlight and echo youth and civil society voices on human rights and intergenerational equity, It is a compilation of three documents, a Summary for Policymakers, a Legal Memorandum and a Status Report on the Principles of International and Human Rights Law Relevant to Climate Change. 

These documents are available at pisfcc.org/handbook and on wy4cj.org/handbook 

Vishal Prasad, Campaigner at the Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change mentioned that: “The Youth Climate Justice Handbook is a very progressive document with arguments and analysis that could really assist and benefit state submissions before the court. While being the heart of the youth campaign in this second phase, the Handbook also is a statement of our vision of what we want to see in the final advisory opinion from the ICJ.”

Tasneem Essop, Executive Director of Climate Action Network emphasised that: "Young people were instrumental in securing a victory by pushing governments at the UN to endorse a resolution seeking an advisory opinion on climate change from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) recently. Continuing with this leadership, they are now taking the work to the next level and launching a handbook that will guide state submissions to the ICJ, putting human rights and intergenerational equity at the heart of their demands. This is a crucial next step of a long campaign to get a progressive outcome from the ICJ on climate change and the legal clarity on the responsibilities of governments to protect their citizens from increasing impacts."  

Lavetanalagi Seru, Regional Coordinator for the Pacific Islands Climate Action Network highlighted that “the Youth Climate Justice Handbook will provide guidance to states and international organizations on how to formulate the strongest and most compelling legal arguments to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), as the ICJ considers the legal questions submitted to the court by the UN General Assembly. We hope that this would prompt states and international organizations to push for a stronger outcome from the ICJ - in the form of an advisory opinion that not only catalyzes climate action; but ensures climate justice, the protection of human rights, and intergenerational equity.”

Katrina Bullock, General Counsel at Greenpeace Australia Pacific says "the handbook released today is endorsed by a broad youth and civil society alliance that has supported the request for an advisory opinion. It will provide a deeper understanding of the legal issues in question and support States and international organisations in their preparations and decision-making during their participation in the International Court of Justice proceedings. The upcoming proceedings offer an extraordinary and unique opportunity for all States to have a say in shaping the development of international law and ensuring the protection of human rights in the face of the climate crisis. The Legal Memorandum outlines the key legal arguments that can bolster progressive submissions to the International Court of Justice. The Summary for Policymakers is a heartfelt plea from the youth and civil society alliance who have worked tirelessly on this campaign to the leaders of this world to make meaningful submissions that drive a strong judgment from the world's highest court, with a view to securing an earth capable of nurturing life in all of its magnificent diversity and protecting the basic rights of all human beings."

Aditi Shetye, World’s Youth For Climate Justice Academic Taskforce/Legal Advocacy team coordinator: 

‘The Youth Climate Justice Handbook is our demand in the form of answers to the questions asked to the ICJ. We hope that the handbook will serve as literature to the Court, and legal guidance to States and their legal advisors. Youth and Civil Society can use this as a legal tool to catalyse existing law to achieve climate justice.’  

Nicole Ponce, World’s Youth For Climate Justice Asian Front Coordinator: 

“The YCJH is a powerful tool for the kind of messaging and language we want states to consider and include in the proceedings before the ICJ. This document is an embodiment of youth voices from different parts of the world in our demand for climate justice and intergenerational equity. This is a significant step in our call for meaningful participation”. 

Mert Kumru, World’s Youth For Climate Justice European Front Coordinator: 

‘Our demands for the historic ICJ advisory opinion on climate change have been formulated into this Youth Climate Justice Handbook. In order to ensure that this Advisory Opinion becomes a strong tool in International Climate law, intergenerational demands need to be heard and considered by the Court and the participating states. With the launch of this Youth Climate Justice Handbook we hope to accelerate towards a world where climate justice is finally being achieved.’ 

Khulekani Magwaza, World’s Youth For Climate Justice Africa Front Coordinator:

“From where I come from, with lived experiences of climate change impacts and injustices exacerbated by it, it feels like we are nowhere near achieving climate justice with current climate frameworks that have existed for years. But the recent UNGA resolution on ICJAO brings hope that we can still achieve justice with another instrument such as that - Advisory Opinion. 

José Daniel Rodriguez, World’s Youth For Climate Justice Latin American Front Coordinator: 

"We have worked hard to draft this Manual that will be a crucial tool to facilitate the participation of climate vulnerable States in the proceedings before the ICJ. As a global youth movement, we urge States to take into account the opinions and needs of their youth in their written observations to the Court."