Vanuatu leads climate justice initiative

REPRESENTING over 1500 civil society organisations in 130 countries, a global alliance of civil society groups was launched on Thursday to support a climate justice initiative by the government of Vanuatu to take the human rights impacts of climate change to the world’s highest court.

The government of Vanuatu last year announced that it would take the proposal to the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in September, which would then vote whether to refer the matter to the court.

Pacific Islands Climate Action Network regional policy coordinator Lavetanalagi Seru said seeking an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice Advisory Opinion on human rights and climate change was another tool in their toolbox which they must use in the urgent and collective efforts to bolster action on climate change.

“In many frontline climate change affected communities today, the most vulnerable, including women and girls, elderly people, people with disabilities, indigenous communities, LGBTQI, youth and other marginalised groups, have, and will continue to experience their basic human rights being undermined,” he said.

Pacific managing director of 350.org, Joseph Sikulu, said through the alliance they hoped to continue to weave together advocacy at all levels to build momentum behind the Vanuatu government’s push for this Advisory Opinion.

“We will work to strengthen our ties as a Pacific family and build an intergenerational movement of Pacific people everywhere rallying behind the ICJAO,” he said.

Climate Action Network executive director Tasneem Essop urged all countries to support this initiative and recognise that the climate crisis was at its core a human rights crisis.

The alliance consists of Pacific Island Students Fighting Climate Change, Climate Action Network - International, Greenpeace Australia Pacific, Oxfam in the Pacific, 350 Pacific, Pacific Islands Climate Action Network and Vanuatu Climate Action Network.