A group of Pacific law students saw years of advocacy culminate in a historic advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Wednesday, which declared that states have a legal obligation to prevent climate harm and could be liable for compensation if they fail to do so.
Cynthia Houniuhi, one of the original 27 students who launched the campaign, was overcome with emotion in the courtroom in The Hague. “When the judges stated that states’ obligations are not limited to the Paris agreement but also extend to environmental law, human rights law and international customary law, I cried right there,” she said.
The opinion, sought by the Pacific island nation of Vanuatu, explicitly targets fossil fuels and links climate action to human rights and environmental law. For the first time, vulnerable communities have a legal mechanism to hold states accountable.
Vishal Prasad, executive director of the Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change, said the ruling was “incredible”, particularly its strong language on fossil fuels. The group first approached Vanuatu’s climate minister Ralph Regenvanu in 2019, who called the idea a “wild dream” that became reality with global support.
The students overcame resistance from major emitting countries, gathering evidence and testimonies over years. Siosiua Veikune, a youth advocate from Tonga, said the ruling was “bold and clear”, providing a “blueprint” for global climate litigation.
