The People’s Petition
The People’s Petition is the culmination of the People’s Assembly, held from December 3-5, 2024 - a declaration of justice and urgency.
It brings together the voices of 18 witnesses from across every continent - individuals who stand as representatives for communities that have contributed almost nothing to the climate crisis yet face its harshest and most unjust consequences.
The petition stands as a powerful testament to collective lived experiences, calling for urgent global action to address the climate crisis.
Demanding Climate Justice At The ICJ.
Climate change goes beyond infringing on human rights; it erodes the capacity of individuals to access and enjoy basic freedoms, both in the present and for generations to come. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) now faces a pivotal moment: will global law become a force for safeguarding the foundations of human society, or will it enable the gradual erasure of entire cultures, communities, and perspectives?
The People’s Petition is championed by Pacific Island Students Fighting Climate Change (PISFCC) in partnership with World Youth for Climate Justice (WYCJ) and the Future Generations Tribunal (FGT).
Since 2019, PISFCC has worked relentlessly to elevate urgent legal issues to the ICJ, fighting for the survival and dignity of present and future generations. This petition amplifies voices across age groups and continents, bringing together a united call for accountability and climate justice.
Building on the lived experiences of those on the frontlines, the petition aims to bring even more compelling evidence to the Climate ICJAO oral hearings, ensuring the judges fully understand the realities unfolding around the world. Developed during the People’s Assembly (December 3 to 5, 2024), it amplifies the voices of 18 individuals from diverse regions, representing communities that have contributed the least to climate change but endure its gravest effects. These powerful accounts expose deep injustices and call on the ICJ to place human rights at the heart of its climate advisory opinion.
“I am a lawyer from West Bengal, India. My testimony sheds light on the compounded challenges faced by tea plantation workers, exacerbated by climate change and rooted in colonial exploitation, corporate greed, and systemic neglect. ”
“I am an intersectional environmental and climate activist, sustainability scientist. This island is deeply connected to me through my ancestors’ care for the land. Now my home and my people must face the devastating impacts of colonialism, climate change, and neocolonial practices”
“Today more than ever, in the midst of the climate emergency and ecological
collapse, it is time to understand Nature as a basic condition of our existence
and, therefore, also as the basis of collective and individual rights.”
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