PISFCC Call on Governments to Vote Yes to UNGA upholding the landmark Climate ICJ AO

Pacific youth are calling on governments worldwide to vote in favour of the upcoming UN resolution that calls on states to uphold  the International Court of Justice (ICJ) Advisory Opinion on climate change. This resolution represents the final, decisive step in our campaign for climate justice, turning the ICJ’s legal guidance into enforceable political action.

The ICJ’s Advisory Opinion, delivered in July, confirmed that governments have a legal duty to protect the climate. The court clarified that this duty extends beyond the Paris Agreement, encompassing the right of all people to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment. It also affirmed that state support for fossil fuels may constitute an internationally wrongful act.

This campaign was 6 years in the making to get an answer from the ICJ, sparking a movement that has grown into a global call for justice. It began as the vision of Pacific youth, but it belongs to the world. 

Now, as the ICJ’s words await political action, this resolution will solidify the Advisory Opinion, putting it at the core of climate action to protect communities facing the worst harms of climate change. People all over the world are living with the consequences of climate injustice every day, this was made evident through the proceedings of the Advisory Opinion through the presentation of the People’s Petition, in which representatives from frontline communities from every region shared their climate stories and testimonies. 

This Advisory Opinion carries their voices and their truths. It is not just law; it is a lived reality. And Governments must understand that their vote at the UNGA for a new resolution will directly affect the lives, cultures, and futures of millions. A ‘yes’ vote is a vote for climate justice, accountability, the survival of people and a hopeful future. 

The resolution is expected to  be tabled later in 2025 and provides governments the opportunity to formally endorse the full ICJ Advisory Opinion, address barriers and inequalities in current climate frameworks, and reinforce multilateralism as the path to effective and fair climate action. 

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