This moment follows on from the landmark resolution to seek an advisory opinion from the ICJ, adopted by consensus at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in March last year — hailed as a huge leap forward for global climate justice that would see human rights and intergenerational equity placed at the forefront of climate decision-making.

The climate justice advisory opinion promises to deliver unparalleled clarity on the international legal obligations countries bear in safeguarding people from the impacts of climate change. Since the resolution was adopted, States and international organisations around the world have spent months compiling their responses to the legal questions, gathering evidence and testimonies of climate harm as part of their written submissions to the Court.

Pacific States have been at the forefront of this process and significantly, all Pacific Island nations have made strong submissions to the Court in a strong show of unity. Civil society has also been central to organising not only the successful UNGA vote, but also ensuring that States engage constructively with the process to ensure the strongest possible legal opinion. 

The final advisory opinion will be shaped by these written submissions, which detail harrowing testimonies from people across the Pacific and around the world, sharing how the climate crisis is impacting their communities, their livelihoods and their culture. Public hearings are expected to be held in The Hague later this year — the culmination of the campaign. These hearings provide a historic opportunity for the Court and the world to hear directly from those experiencing the impacts and harm posed by the climate emergency.

Vishal Prasad, Campaign Director at Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change, said, “With written submissions now closing, we are one step closer to getting the legal clarity we need in our pursuit for climate justice. For many Pacific nations this is a historic moment as many countries have made submissions to the ICJ for the first time demonstrating immense leadership in the midst of significant challenges. These submissions are carrying our stories, experiences, and our hope and aspirations that the ICJ will listen and that the final opinion will be shaped by our voices.”

Ashawnté Russell, World’s Youth for Climate Justice, said, “As we transition between phases of this Advisory Opinion, I extend my heartfelt gratitude to all States actively engaged in this critical endeavour. While global engagement remains essential, it’s equally imperative to amplify youth voices in shaping and implementing consistent climate policies. 

“Young people across regions are fervently championing the cause of climate justice through our involvement in the written submissions, all the while recognising its profound significance for our collective future. Our participation in these proceedings symbolises not only the dawn of a new chapter, but also a deeply cherished privilege. As passionate advocates for sustainability, we urge our impassioned pleas to resonate within the chambers of the International Court of Justice, igniting decisive action and commitment for the well-being of all nations and generations to come.”

Katrina Bullock, General Counsel at Greenpeace Australia Pacific, said, “As submissions from countries and international organisations flood the corridors of justice, today marks a pivotal moment in the journey towards an advisory opinion on human rights and climate change from the International Court of Justice. This watershed moment holds the potential to redefine the boundaries of international law, shaping our collective response to the existential threat of climate change. 

“Greenpeace’s submission posits that all countries have an obligation under international law to prevent the adverse impacts of climate change and to respect, protect and fulfil the internationally recognised human rights of present and future generations in the face of climate change. We are extremely grateful to have worked on this submission with climate-impacted communities from the Pacific and around the world who, in their own words, tell the stories of climate harm and their resistance — that governments are unlikely to cover in their submissions.” 

Dr Sindra Sharma, Senior Policy Advisor at Pacific Islands Climate Action Network said: “The leadership shown by Pacific Island governments in making submissions to the ICJ shows their unwavering dedication to bridging generations in securing a livable future for not just the Pacific, but all people. Engagement in this phase of the process was crucial in ensuring that voices from our region, one of the most vulnerable to climate impacts, are heard throughout the proceedings.

Civil society participation in government submissions signals our commitment to working together to address the climate crisis, partnering to shape a legal framework that not only reflects our shared values but also ensures a sustainable future for generations to come.”

Nikki Reisch, Director of the Climate & Energy Program at the Center for International Environmental Law, said, “The International Court of Justice has both a unique opportunity and unparalleled authority to say what international law requires States to do, to stop doing, and to undo with respect to climate change and its devastating impacts. States have long-standing obligations under multiple sources of international law to prevent and minimise climate change, and to remedy its past and present harms. Under the Court’s own precedents, States that have contributed the most to fossil-fuelled emissions have a legal duty to cease their destructive conduct and repair harms for present and future generations.

“The ICJ’s legal pronouncements will have ripple effects around the world as domestic and regional courts facing a rising tide of climate litigation look for guidance, and as communities facing rising sea levels and temperatures look for remedy. As States, Indigenous Peoples, and civil society organisations submit their arguments today, we urge the Court to listen to the perspectives of those whose experiences of climate harm and resilience shed light on the meaning of climate duties and the pathway to climate justice.”

Mandi Mudarikwa, Head of Strategic Litigation at Amnesty International said, “The climate emergency is a human rights crisis of unprecedented proportions. When climate change-related impacts hit a country or a community, the knock-on effects can seriously undermine the enjoyment of the right to life lived in dignity, endanger a range of freedoms and socio-economic rights including the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment, and in many cases even put at risk the cultural survival of entire peoples and future generations. Ultimately, the future of humanity is at stake.

“Through their participation in this process, state actors actively contribute to the progressive development of international law and standards, and ensure that the legacy that is to be inherited by future generations, is a legacy of collaboration that makes certain that the environment that they will live in, is governed by a legal regime that ensures its longevity and the enjoyment of human rights by all.”

—ENDS—

For more information or to arrange an interview please contact Kate O’Callaghan on kate.ocallaghan@greenpeace.org or +61 406 231 892

Noqu Mata Vuvale. I don’t say this lightly. 

Noqu mata vuvale has a very special meaning in my Fijian language. It means you have opened the gates and entered our loving home and there is a reason why we have kept this special place for you. You are family.

As I sit down to write this reflective blog in the form of a personal letter, I have contemplated deeply on the remarkable journey we’ve embarked on. My heart swells with pride, love and gratitude for each and every one of you who has stood by our side in this fight for climate justice. Our journey to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has been one of resilience, determination, persistence and unwavering solidarity. And an incredible amount of hard work.

It needed a family, a global Vuvale.

How did it all start?

It all began with a small group of young law students in the Pacific now known as the Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change who were fueled by a deep sense of duty to our people and our planet. Together with the Vanuatu government and a handful of civil society organizations, including Greenpeace, we dared to dream of holding the world’s largest polluters accountable for the devastating impacts of climate change on our beloved Pacific Islands and all nations being in vulnerable situations because of the climate emergency across the world.

We knew that our voices alone would not be enough to bring about the change we so desperately needed. So, we mobilised. We mobilised our communities, our youth, our elders, and our allies across the globe. From the bustling streets of New York to the remote atolls of Tuvalu, from the mountains of Papua New Guinea to the chaotic UNFCCC conferences, we marched hand in hand – chanting, singing, negotiating, and shouting for climate action. 

We sailed our Vaka (voyaging vessel) and canoes, guided by the inspiring leadership of the young students, to the United Nations General Assembly, carrying with us the hopes and dreams of millions who could not be there in person but were with us in deep mana (spirit). 

Together, we turned our Pacific Vaka into a symbol of hope, unity, and resilience just like our ancestors did when they sailed across continents and the expansive Pacific Ocean to build a future for the generations that will carry their legacy. A future grounded in the principles of love for the Vanua (land)  and the deepest connection to the Moana (ocean). 

We showed the world that the fight against climate change knows no boundaries and that we are all in this together, sailing towards a shared future of sustainability and harmony with nature. What started as a campaign of the Pacific is now a truly global movement.

For us, this was not just about our Pacific Vuvale. 

It was about the youth who did not have the opportunity to connect to their ancestral land because the spiritual soil had eroded away. 

It was about the families who have to pick the remaining bones of their loved ones from the shore as rising seas have uprooted graves and wiped away their dignified resting place. 

It was about the pregnant woman who travelled over 10 km to fetch water for her family as her nearby water sources were polluted by extractive industries and in the process losing both her life and her child. 

It was about the inspiring senior women who have taken their government to the European Court of Human Rights as heat waves have threatened their right to life.

This fight was for all of us.

Unveiling the Power of Evidence to Achieve Climate Justice

But our journey did not end there. We knew that to truly make a difference, we needed more than just marches and speeches. We needed evidence. Evidence that would speak louder than words and compel even the most powerful among us to listen.

So, we embarked on a mission to collect evidence from the most remote corners of our planet. Evidence that would move you to tears, to anger, to admiration, to love. All types of emotions are experienced through the most resilient human beings on earth. We listened to their stories of loss and resilience, of struggle and hope. And we knew that we could not rest until their stories were heard.

We gathered evidence to provide to States – all of the countries that were a part of this climate fight –  to help with their submissions as well as to create our own Greenpeace submission. Our submission included powerful stories from the Pacific, Philippines, Norway, Mexico, Southern Africa, Switzerland and the Caribbean and in due time we will share this with you as the lived realities of these powerful individuals and communities cannot live only in a submission, but must be seen by the entire world.

Australia Steps Up – Heading to the ICJ

And now, after months of tireless advocacy and relentless pressure on world governments, we have achieved a monumental victory. The Australian Government, led by Minister Penny Wong, has committed to submitting to the ICJ. This is a significant step forward, and we applaud Minister Wong and her government for taking this bold and necessary action for our global Vuvale.

But our work is far from over. We must ensure that our voices continue to be heard loud and clear. The Australian government has shown no indication of what is in the submission. We kindly ask the Australian Government to provide full transparency of the contents of their submission and to acknowledge their historical responsibilities and contributions to the climate crisis. We urge them to work closely, in genuine solidarity and kinship with the Pacific governments throughout this process, ensuring that our voices are at the forefront of the conversation. For this advisory opinion to truly protect the human rights of the current and future generations, Australia must be a true ally and a genuine supporter.

What’s next?

In the next phase, June 2024, States will have an opportunity to respond to other States’ submissions and you will find noticeable naysayers. But we will not be deterred. We will keep fighting. The oral hearings at the end of the year provide an opportunity to centre the voices of our communities on the ground, and we will not miss that opportunity.

As we await the next steps in this historic journey, let us remember the resilience and determination that brought us to this point. Let us take some time to acknowledge the incredible leadership of the Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change, the Vanuatu Government and the proud people of the Pacific. Let us continue to stand together, united in our commitment to protecting our planet and securing a sustainable future for generations to come.

It is time for our Vaka (vessel) to enter the gates of the world’s highest court and break down the walls of legal obstructions with love, compassion, resilience and the powerful energy of our people.

Thank you to each and every one of you for being a part of this extraordinary journey so far. And we cannot embark on the next phase without you. You will always have a cherished place on the Pacific Vaka. Together, we will win.

Loloma Levu (With the deepest love).

The ship will spend two weeks in Fiji to rally support behind the historic, Pacific-led campaign to take climate change to the world’s highest court, the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

The Rainbow Warrior was welcomed to Suva with a vibrant ceremony which included traditional ‘vaka’ or canoes, as well as speeches from government officials and community leaders.

A traditional kava ceremony (Yaqona Vakaturaga) was conducted, including the preparation and presentation of kava to the Tui Suva (Chief of Suva) and the Chief Guests, David Ritter CEO of Greenpeace Australia Pacific and Ali Schmidt, Captain of the Rainbow Warrior.

The crew have spent the last four weeks sailing around Vanuatu and Tuvalu, meeting communities on the frontlines of the climate crisis and listening to their stories. Greenpeace experts also gathered legal testimonies of the human rights impacts of climate change throughout their visit — evidence which will form part of submissions due to the ICJ in October.

From Suva, the ship will travel to Kioa Island to join civil society leaders from across the Pacific as part of the Kioa Climate Emergency dialogue, then onwards to Rabi Island, before returning to Suva.

David Ritter, CEO of Greenpeace Australia Pacific, said the team is incredibly humbled to have been welcomed so warmly by leaders and communities across the Pacific:

“From Vanuatu to Tuvalu, we’ve witnessed firsthand the devastating impacts the climate crisis is unleashing on Pacific nations, who are fighting to protect their homes, their culture and their future. What more will it take for governments to act as heat records are shattered around the world, floods and bushfires rage, and sea level rise threatens entire communities?

“The Albanese government vowed to reset its relationship with the Pacific after a decade of neglect. And yet, the financial support directed towards the Pacific is miniscule compared to the billions of taxpayer dollars poured into fossil fuel subsidies every year — a polluting industry that is directly harming the human rights of Pacific people and nations.

“Pacific nation leaders have repeatedly affirmed climate change as the greatest threat to the region. We call on Minister Wong to make a strong submission on behalf of Australia to the International Court of Justice as a statement of support for Pacific survival.”

The push to protect vulnerable nations by issuing an advisory opinion on climate harm, known as the ICJAO, was born in a university classroom in the Pacific. In March, the United Nations General Assembly unanimously voted for a resolution calling on the ICJ to establish the legal obligations of nations in addressing climate change. Submissions are due in October.

Vishal Prasad, Campaign Director of the Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change, said that a successful ICJ advisory opinion would be a powerful tool to support bolder climate action globally:

“An ICJ advisory opinion would ensure that Pacific Island nations have a greater voice on the international stage, and also provide a legal framework for countries around the globe.

“The climate crisis is a human rights crisis. Hundreds of millions of people in vulnerable countries like Fiji are having their livelihoods, health, food security, and cultures severely impacted.

“We need monumental, global action, and we need it now. An advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice is exactly that. It would mean we could better enforce the Paris Climate Agreement, and ensure human rights are at the centre of all climate responses.”

—ENDS—

Media assets

Images: Rainbow Warrior arriving, welcome ceremony can be found here from 11am FST and generic photos of the Rainbow Warrior can be found here

B-Roll vision: Drone shots of ship arriving, welcome ceremony, can be found here from 1pm FST

For more information and a map of Greenpeace Australia Pacific’s Ship Tour: greenpeace.org.au/act/pacific-campaign

This is how we welcome people into our Pasifika families in the beautiful islands of Vanuatu, Tuvalu and Fiji and it will be the welcome that will be provided to the Rainbow Warrior when she lands on the shores of the Pacific Islands next week.

The Rainbow Warrior will continue its journey to the Pacific — this time, in support of a groundbreaking Pasifika led legal campaign, taking climate harm to the world’s highest court, the International Court of Justice.

Join our campaign for an 8-week inspiring journey where you’ll meet and connect with the most powerful activists and social justice warriors in the world.

JOIN THE CAMPAIGN

We will be collaborating with the most resilient human beings with connections to cultures deeply rooted in respect, trust and love spanning thousands of years. You can also follow our voyage through our interactive map below. 

FOLLOW THE JOURNEY

The beautiful Pacific nations are made up of over 7,500 islands across one quarter of the Earth in the largest ocean in the world. Our Pasifika ancestors were some of the greatest navigators using nothing but stars, planets and constellations. It was and is all about being one with everything around us and our connection with the Moana or Wasawasa – the ocean.  

Greenpeace has a long and proud history of working alongside local communities to protect the oceans, lands, and people of the Pacific.

We will be travelling to Vanuatu, Tuvalu and Fiji to celebrate beautiful cultural traditions and document human rights stories from the impacts of climate change. These accounts will be included as part of the legal case at the International Court of Justice.

The Journey

Stop One: Cairns

The Pacific Campaign Launch. ‘Mura Kalmel Sipa’: Together we stand.

In Cairns, the Rainbow Warrior welcomes First Nations leaders from the Guda Maluyligal in the Torres Strait, Uncle Paul and Uncle Pabai – plaintiffs in the Australian Climate Case who have taken the Australian government to court for failing to protect their island homes from climate change.

Uncle Paul and Uncle Pabai alongside other inspiring Australian climate litigants like Anjali Sharma will travel on the Rainbow Warrior to the Pacific in a show of solidarity with communities around the world taking action into their own hands after decades of government failure to act on climate change.

Stop Two: Port Vila, Vanuatu

“We can change the world if we change the law”.

Vanuatu is the most climate-vulnerable nation in the world and is also one of the most ambitious countries in tackling climate change. 

Greenpeace is bringing climate litigants from around the world together in Port Vila, from Bonaire in the Caribbean to the Philippines and Australia in support of a historic legal climate campaign.

Born in Vanuatu, this ground-breaking legal campaign is taking climate justice to the world’s highest court – The International Court of Justice –  in a case to protect the human rights of those most impacted by climate change and see legal consequences for big polluters.

Stop Three: Erromango, Vanuatu

Bearing witness to loss and damage

Erromango, a culturally rich island in Vanuatu, experienced severe damage from multiple cyclones, including a rare and devastating ‘double cyclone event’ this year. 

Greenpeace will join the Erromango community to celebrate beautiful cultural traditions and document human rights stories of the impacts of climate change, encompassing the rights to life, health, food, water, sanitation, housing, self-determination, culture, and development. 

These accounts will be included as part of the International Court of Justice submission process.

Stop Four:  Funafuti, Tuvalu

Leadership and Solutions from the frontlines of the climate crisis

Tuvalu is an atoll nation with a population of approximately 11,000. ​​Tuvalu’s land rarely exceeds 3m above sea level, making it highly vulnerable to rising sea levels. 

Tuvalu also became famous as the first country in the world to create a digital replica of itself on the metaverse to preserve its culture in the face of climate loss.

Greenpeace will engage with climate leaders and highlight the resilience of Pacific communities who are at the forefront of addressing the climate crisis. 

Greenpeace will offer action training on the Rainbow Warrior ship for local activists.

Stop Five: Suva, Fiji 

Co-powering with communities in the region

Bula! Fiji holds significant diplomatic and economic ties with Australia. It faces severe impacts from intense cyclones, hurricanes, floods, droughts, and extreme temperatures, affecting both its GDP and community resilience. 

The Rainbow Warrior’s return to the Pacific Islands is an opportunity to strengthen relationships with civil society, non-governmental organisations, and allies in the region. Greenpeace’s focus is to collaborate with communities, amplify the visions of climate justice activists, and foster discussion, talanoa, action, and friendship.

Suva, home to the University of the South Pacific, witnessed the birth of this groundbreaking legal campaign bringing climate change to the highest court in the world. To bring this full circle, Greenpeace will co-host a University open day with Pacific Island Students Fighting Climate Change (PISFCC), who played a vital role in the ICJAO campaign.

Stop Six: Kioa and Rabi, Fiji

Fiji, grappling with climate migration challenges of its own, is home to Kioa and Rabi islands, each with distinct narratives of relocated communities due to the impacts of climate change. 

The Kioa community’s journey, initiated after World War II from Tuvalu’s Vaitupu Island, serves as a global inspiration.

Greenpeace will join leaders, civil society groups, climate impacted individuals, and climate organisations from across the Pacific on Kioa Island for discussions as part of the ongoing Kioa Climate Declaration. 

This grassroots regional initiative places Pacific demands at the forefront of conversations surrounding Loss & Damage. The commitment to a Loss & Damage mechanism at COP27 ensures that funds from the most polluting countries are directed towards supporting developing nations disproportionately affected by the climate crisis.

Following this, the Rainbow Warrior will journey to neighbouring Rabi Island to commemorate World Indigenous People’s Day and stand in solidarity through a candlelit vigil, supporting global climate litigants making submissions to the International Court of Justice. 

Stop Seven: Suva, Fiji

Rainbow Warrior says Sota Tale to the Pacific

Sota Tale, bye for now, to our Pacific friends, allies and leaders whose strength and leadership have inspired us so much during our Pacific tour.

This journey is an opportunity to strengthen relationships and collaborate with communities, amplifying the visions of climate justice activists, and foster discussion, talanoa, action, and friendship.

We will weave together stories from Pacific Island communities and share with the world the unique threats to culture that are being faced, but also the need for collective response on the journey towards climate justice.

Culture and cultural connection for our Pasifika people is what unites us. It’s what makes us different. It’s what defines us, it’s what breathes life or wairua (the spirit of the soul) into us. Our culture is our identity, our culture is our mana, our culture is a significant part of the tapa (fabric) of our lives.

It is about fighting for what is right and creating space for people who are at the front lines of the climate crisis with the most progressive of solutions.

I look forward to bringing you along on this journey merging the cultural pulse of the Pacific with the cultural pulse of Greenpeace itself. Forging a united path across islands and oceans. This journey is about listening, it’s about heart to heart healing. It’s about learning, growing and sharing solidarity with each other. 

I started this blog with something that is severely threatened by climate change and something that we hold close to our beings –  our languages stemming from our beautiful Vanua and fenua (land). I will end this email with the same. There is only one language when it comes to fighting for what is right – the language of the soul.

Tankyu Tumas, Fakafetai Lasi,  Vinaka Vakalevu

The IPCC AR6 Synthesis Report, which integrates findings from the six reports the IPCC has published since 2018, lays out the extent to which climate change has already damaged the planet and life on earth, with further future damage now unavoidable and potentially irreversible. 

IPCC AR6 key findings:

• The world’s existing fossil fuel infrastructure without additional abatement would exceed the remaining carbon budget for 1.5°C and with every additional increment of warming, changes in extremes continue to become larger
• Current national climate commitments make it likely that warming will exceed 1.5°C during the 21st century and make it harder to limit warming below 2°C.
• However, in certain scenarios and pathways, global warming declines back to below 1.5°C by the end of the 21st century with immediate, deep and rapid emissions reductions
• Current scenarios and pathways have us on track for a range from 1.4°C  for the very low emissions scenario through to 4.4°C for the very high emissions scenario 
• All global modelled pathways that limit warming to 1.5°C with no or limited overshoot, and those that limit warming to 2°C, involve rapid and deep and, in most cases, immediate greenhouse gas emissions reductions in all sectors this decade
• Some future changes are unavoidable and potentially irreversible, with sea level rise unavoidable for centuries to millennia
• For any given future warming level, many climate-related risks are higher than previously assessed, and projected long-term impacts are up to multiple times higher than currently observed

QUOTES

David Ritter, CEO of Greenpeace Australia Pacific, said this report is a screaming siren calling us to action.

“The emergency is upon us. We can see the impacts climate damage is having every single day – the floods, fires, storms, heatwaves, droughts, and rising seas that are overwhelming whole communities.  

“But the great source of hope is that we know the causes of this crisis and we have the solutions. We must cut emissions faster, and overcome the vested interests that corrupt our democracy and stand in the way of deploying vital solutions at vast speed and scale, to secure the survival of millions of people, whole ecosystems and innumerable species.

“In these times of emergency, we must hold our leaders to their words. At COP27, Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen called for the ‘strongest possible action’ to limit global heating to 1.5°C. As this report is handed down, in Australia this means no new coal, oil, or gas projects, like Woodside’s monstrous Burrup Hub, and a much stronger Safeguard Mechanism than currently proposed. 

“Launching the government’s wildlife protection plan, Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek said she will not ‘accept environmental decline and extinction as inevitable’. Nothing could be clearer – there can be no new coal, oil, or gas and we must see an end to deforestation.

“We still have agency in this planetary crisis. Great historic change is invariably nonlinear – we know the solutions and people, working together, can achieve practically anything. 

“Political and business leaders have no excuses and must be held to account in this hour of supreme planetary need. Now is the hour, there must be action to reduce emissions at emergency speed and scale.”

Prof. Dr. Carl-Friedrich Schleussner, Head of Climate Science at Climate Analytics, stressed that despite the grave risks in failing to act, this report shows the Paris Agreement long term goal of limiting warming to 1.5°C is still within reach.

“1.5°C refers to human-made global warming and is calculated as a long-term average over 20 years or more. This is why if one year hits 1.5°C, or even several years in a row, this doesn’t mean we’ve reached that long-term average yet. At 1.5°C global warming we would expect that every second year would be above 1.5°C and we would only be able to say this with certainty in hindsight, probably up to 10 years after.

“The focus on 1.5°C being dead or gone is an unhelpful distraction from what needs to happen now, which is rapid emissions reductions this decade and a shift away from fossil fuels.”

Shiva Gounden, Pacific advisor, Greenpeace Australia Pacific, said despite suffering the worst impacts, Pacific island nations demonstrate climate leadership that must be followed. 

“1.5°C is still alive – but our last possible path to reach it is lit by those on the frontlines of the climate crisis. We must follow their light to survive.

“Pacific island nations suffer the worst impacts of the climate crisis, such as the recent devastation wreaked by twin Category 4 cyclones Judy and Kevin, but have historically contributed the least. This final report is resoundingly clear on the scale of the crisis facing the Pacific and the urgency needed, with low-lying coastal areas already reaching the limits of adaptation. 

“The peoples of the Pacific continue to confront the devastating reality of the climate crisis with hope, determination and courage. But we do more than deal with the consequences. These proud people know that our lands and ways of living are worth saving – and have the conviction and plan to do so. 

“Pacific island nations demonstrate global climate leadership from the frontline. The world must stand with them, starting with voting yes at the UN General Assembly next week on Vanuatu’s landmark bid to prevent climate harm through the world’s highest court.”

Reverend James Bhagwan, General Secretary of the Pacific Conference of Churches, said the report further codifies the Pacific’s leadership on climate action from the frontline.

“The IPCC synthesis report is the science to our lived realities. As the world looks at the rapid trajectory to and beyond 1.5°C, the Pacific is already suffering from the sin of high-emitting countries. Yet we persist; battered by extreme weather, our island nations are joining the call for a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty. But right now we are in the fight for our right to exist. We need rapid transitions to truly renewable energy and increased finance to support our efforts to be resilient, to live.”

Anjali Sharma, 18yo climate activist and lead litigant in Sharma v Environment Minister, the landmark court case which called for a duty of care to protect children against the impacts of climate change, said:

“This report is not only a damning indictment on the polluters and governments of generations past, but a wake up call for leaders now to drastically scale up their efforts to combat climate change if the world is to save the future for generations to come.

“The reality of the climate crisis is already devastating and this report lays clear the scale of the devastation future generations face, with some changes like sea level rise unavoidable and potentially irreversible.

“This is the world being handed to my generation, in which we are expected to construct our lives. We do not have the privilege of time, the bliss of ignorance, the safety of desensitisation. But with 1.5°C still alive, we must act – radically, urgently, and together – to force governments through the crack in the window of opportunity to secure a liveable future for generations to come.”

The IPCC synthesis report comes on the eve of a historic vote at the United Nations General Assembly to ask the International Court of Justice – the highest court in the world – to issue an advisory opinion on climate change.

—ENDS—

Notes:

Access the full Greenpeace media briefing here

Recent images of climate damage in the Pacific photographed by Nikiatu Kuautonga available here.

Images of Pasifika activists sailing past the UN HQ to the Statue of Liberty calling for nations to support climate justice through the ICJAO resolution are available for download here. 

Australia is one of 105 nations officially registered as co-sponsors of the resolution, including the United Kingdom, France, and New Zealand. The groundswell of formal support follows the release of the final resolution at the UN General Assembly, where members will soon be asked to refer the matter to the ICJ, the world’s highest court.

It comes as Cyclone Judy lashes the island nation of Vanuatu with evacuations underway, which Pasifika activists say demonstrates the need for transformative, global initiatives that prevent climate harm and protect the human rights of vulnerable peoples. 

Shiva Gounden, Pacific advisor, Greenpeace Australia Pacific, said: “As the people of Vanuatu look ahead yet again to repairing their communities and counting their losses, the support of Australia and other countries around the world will provide hope for a better future.

“Having been part of post-disaster work during Cyclone Winston in Fiji, during Cyclone Pam in Vanuatu, and now during Cyclone Judy, I know the scale and pain of intangible losses like burial grounds being washed away, ancestral and cultural land that stood for centuries being completely decimated, and precious ways of life being lost forever.

“To see Australia and nations around the world standing with Vanuatu and Pacific island nations on the frontlines of the climate crisis cannot stop these impacts or end the pain they cause. But it does bring the Pacific Vuvale [family] closer together and show that the world recognises Pacific leadership in driving global solutions from the frontlines.”

Hon Minister Jotham Napat, Vanuatu’s Foreign Minister, said: “While severe Cyclone Judy is today showing no mercy on the people of Vanuatu it is welcoming news that countries are committing to co-sponsor Vanuatu’s UN Resolution on clarifying international climate obligations.”

The long-running campaign for an ICJ advisory opinion linking climate change and human rights began in a university classroom in Vanuatu, before being picked up by the Vanuatu government and put to the UN General Assembly. 

More than 1,500 civil society groups across 130 countries have endorsed the proposal, which is expected to strengthen states’ obligations to protect human rights from the adverse effects of climate change and catalyse more ambitious climate action. 

—ENDS—

Notes

Images of Pasifika activists sailing past the UN HQ to the Statue of Liberty calling for nations to support climate justice through this resolution are available for download here. 

The final resolution has landed at  the UN General Assembly, where members will be asked to refer the matter to the ICJ, the world’s highest court. It is the product of five months of negotiations and consultations, with nations working together to shape the future of climate justice.

It also meets the promise of the long-running campaign which began in a university classroom in Vanuatu. More than 1,500 civil society groups across 130 countries have endorsed the Vanuatu government’s proposal, while dozens of countries have championed the initiative, which is expected to strengthen states’ obligations to protect human rights from the adverse effects of climate change and catalyse more ambitious climate action.

Vishal Prasad, campaigner, Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change, said: “Our journey to this point has been long. It has had to overcome barriers and challenges. But it has picked up supporters from around the world, from citizens to leaders, all with different backgrounds and experiences but all united by a single mission – climate justice.

“From a classroom in Vanuatu, to the universally recognised seat of power for multilateral action, we have stayed the course to help save the lives, livelihoods, and ways of life of current and future generations.

“The resolution text is a result of months of consultation and negotiation, but importantly, it reflects the calls from young people around the world. Now those calls must be heeded by every member of the United Nations General Assembly by supporting the resolution. Our futures depend on it.”

Katrina Bullock, General Counsel for Greenpeace Australia Pacific, said: “This advisory opinion was of the utmost importance when it was first proposed by students in the Pacific, and has only become more urgent since.

“The Pacific is on the frontline of the climate crisis, and the IPCC states the window for taking meaningful action is rapidly closing. This is not a matter of global politicking, but of a global imperative.

“The impact of the resolution passing would be groundbreaking and help to tackle some of the greatest challenges every nation and person on earth faces. We are calling on every nation to support the resolution and change the course of climate history.”

Rose Kulak, Climate Justice Campaigner at Amnesty International Australia, said: “This campaign to take the human rights impacts of climate change to the world’s highest court is about recognising that we are at a point where we are now measuring the climate crisis in human lives. Together, we must be bold and ambitious to shape climate action to safeguard human rights to health, food, water, housing, livelihoods and life itself.

“We need governments to urgently change what they are doing, recognise that inaction on climate change amounts to human rights violations, and fully support this crucial step towards better protecting the human rights of present and future generations.”

—ENDS—

Notes

• Images of Pacific activists sailing past the UN HQ to the State of Liberty calling on nations to support climate justice are available for download here

Greenpeace Australia Pacific has two questions we believe Chris Bowen should answer before he jets off for COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh.

Question 1: One of the most prevailing demands of the Pacific nations Australia is looking to co-host COP26 with is for major emitting countries like Australia and the US to financially compensate for the damage caused by climate change. What are the Albanese Government’s plans for addressing loss and damage finance?

Currently, there is no dedicated fund or funding facility for countries experiencing loss and damage. A Loss and Damage Finance Facility has been championed by countries in the developing world including the Pacific since the 1990s, to ensure the mobilisation and coordination of funds for climate-impacted countries. Australia, along with the US and EU has been a historic blocker of such a facility. At COP26 Australia joined the US and EU in doing so again, instead offering The Glasgow Dialogue, a three-year discussion process without clearly defined milestones or outcomes. 

Question 2: The Vanuatu Government is pursuing an Advisory Opinion from the International Court of Justice on the human rights impacts of climate change, which has been offered in-principle support from all members of the Pacific Island Forum, including Australia. Considering that co-hosting a COP requires unprecedented levels of alignment, will Australia vote yes on the advisory opinion?

The International Court of Justice can issue advisory opinions which inform the development of international law. In this case, force governments to consider the human rights impacts of climate policy, which would help compel more ambitious action under the Paris Agreement.

The campaign for an ICJAO has generated global support. It stands on the precipice of a historic vote at the UN General Assembly, where it must secure a majority of votes to be referred to the ICJ.

Ahead of COP27, Germany, New Zealand, Vietnam and several other nations have stepped up as high-level country champions, and advocating for a yes vote at the UNGA. Australia has offered in-principle support as part of the Pacific Islands Forum, but has yet to commit to voting yes.

—ENDS—

First devised in a University of the South Pacific classroom in 2019, the campaign now led by the Vanuatu government is seeking an advisory opinion from the ICJ, the world’s highest court, which would investigate how climate change is affecting the human rights of people and create legal clarity on how to address it.

Germany, New Zealand, Singapore, Vietnam, Uganda, Samoa, Antigua and Barbuda, Bangladesh, The Federated States of Micronesia, Costa Rica, and Lichtenstein have backed the Vanuatu government’s bid and will continue to publicly support and advocate for it as the matter is put to the UNGA for a vote late 2022-early 2023 before it can be referred to the ICJ.

While Australia endorsed the campaign in principle, pressure is now mounting on the Albanese government to join these countries in stepping up and advocating for the bid. 

Vishal Prasad, Campaigner with Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change, said: 

“This campaign began in a small South Pacific University classroom in Vanuatu, a nation on the frontline of the climate crisis where our human rights are under threat. 

“This experience is not limited to the Pacific, with hundreds of millions of people around the world having their human rights impacted by climate change. Today’s announcement that these twelve countries are standing shoulder to shoulder in championing the bid for an ICJ advisory opinion is testament not only to the global impact of the campaign, but in our increasingly unified response to a shared experience. Together, we can establish a global precedent to link human rights and climate change, and protect the rights of current and future generations.”

Sepesa Rasili, Senior Campaigner at Greenpeace Australia Pacific, said: 

“With climate change causing a human rights crisis, we need global leaders to stand with those hit hardest by the climate crisis, ensure their voices are heard, and act to protect their human rights by voting yes for the resolution for an ICJ advisory opinion resolution at the UN General Assembly.

“It is incredibly disappointing that Australia has not stepped up on the global stage and joined its peers to champion this Pacific-led campaign for climate justice at the UN General Assembly.

“To live up to its promises of reconnecting with its Pacific Vuvale, Australia must give meaning to these pledges and ensure they go beyond words. We call on Australia to be a true Pacific family member and join us on this voyage for climate justice by championing the campaign for an International Court of Justice advisory opinion through COP27 to the vote at the UN General Assembly.” 

Rose Kulak, Climate Justice Campaigner at Amnesty International Australia, said:

“Amnesty International Australia is disappointed that Australia has not yet stepped up to be counted among the champions of a campaign led by Pacific civil society and nations to take the human rights impacts of climate change to the world’s highest court. 

“The impact on human rights by climate change is undeniable, and countries like Australia need to be more ambitious in their goals if we are to protect the rights of present and future generations against the adverse impacts of climate change. Australia must show its intent to be a good global citizen by championing and co-sponsoring the UN resolution for an International Court of Justice Advisory Opinion.”

—ENDS—

Wow, what a journey we have been on with our Pacific Island activist team. After months of training around the Pacific and mobilisations across 12 countries (and on our very own Rainbow Warrior ship), our rockstar GPAP team joined youth and Indigenous activists for an action in New York to encourage world leaders to #VoteYes for climate justice at the UN General Assembly.

______

A rocky start

What this trip revealed is that no matter how much planning you undertake, there are always issues you cannot anticipate.

In the hours leading up to the long flight from Fiji to the USA, we met our first challenge. 

Whilst on his way to the airport, one of our youth activists was involved in a bus accident just 10 minutes outside of Nadi Town. Fortunately he has since been discharged and is steadily recovering at home however it meant that he was unable to continue his journey to the UN General Assembly. Although this was a huge blow to the team, Fane and Broderick reluctantly said their goodbyes and boarded the next flight to New York a few hours later.

New York! New York!

After some much needed rest, from travelling 10 hours across the globe, Fane and Broderick joined our energetic Volunteer Coordinator, Shiva (who had travelled to New York a few days prior) for a briefing with the Pacific Island Students Fighting Climate Change and other activists on the actions for the week. 

It’s worth noting that this journey started in 2019 when a group of law students from around the Pacific Region, first made a presentation on climate change and the impacts on human rights. It has, since then, prompted more than 1500 civil society organisations and several Governments to join hands with the Vanuatu government in its quest to “clarify the obligations states have under international law to protect the rights of the present and future generations against the adverse impacts of climate change” through a legal opinion from the International Court of Justice.

After a full day of banner preparations and sewing, our team set off at 6am the next day for a Flotilla Action.

Our team were honoured to be welcomed to Country/Land by Owl and Mukaro, who are First Nations elders from Ramapo Munsee Lanape Nation and Taino Tribal Nation, along with volunteers from other cultural backgrounds who joined in solidarity with, and for, the Pacific’s call for climate justice.

First, we sailed down Newton Creek, as an homage to the climate justice fight that New Yorkers have been fighting for decades. More commonly known as the Greenpoint oil spill, it was here that in 1979, an estimated 17 to 30 million gallons of petroleum spilled in the area over 140 years. 

As we sailed down the New York East River towards the UN Headquarters for the second part of the flotilla action, we honoured our ancestors, people and lands with our Pacific chants, songs and dances and called on world leaders to uphold climate pledges made in Rio de Janeiro, Kyoto and Paris.

Vinaka vakalevu and tagio tumas to our coordinator Monica who ensured that our Pacific and first nations people were able to board the larger boats in order to proceed to the Statue of Liberty for the last action of the day.

The next day, we joined a Climate March with “Fridays for Future” where approximately 2000 young activists from around the world joined hands to call on world leaders and demand climate justice. Broderick took charge and led the chanting and music for the Pacific and ACJAO.

It was an emotional experience for our Pacific and First Nations activists, knowing that, in that moment, our struggle for the survival of future generations had reached the hearts and minds of so many across the globe.

Climate Justice Camp

As Broderick and Fane travelled back to Fiji, Varanisese, who was part of our Pacific training program, joined the 350 Youth activists in Tunisia for the The Climate Justice Camp. The week-long camp was attended by over 400 youth climate representatives from over 65 countries around the global south and focused on building intersectional solidarity and developing pathways towards long-term political and systemic change around climate adaptation, justice, access to energy, and loss and damage associated with the disproportionate impacts of the climate crisis.

Although it’s still unclear when exactly a vote will take place, this journey to New York and Tunisia was critical in  ensuring that Pacific and frontline communities are visible and that our voices are heard.

We will continue on this journey and ask everyone to join our Pacific vaka (canoe) in pursuit of climate justice.

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