Five Pacific nations on Thursday plotted how to prosecute a pivotal UN court case that aims to hold climate-polluting countries to account and safeguard their islands’ survival.
The International Court of Justice will start hearings on December 2 in a case that will test countries’ climate obligations and whether they can be sued for failing to act.
In 2020, Vanuatu emitted 121,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide, compared to neighboring Australia’s 379 million tonnes.
In March 2023, UN members asked the Hague-based court to rule on “legal consequences” for states that “have caused significant harm to the climate system and other parts of the environment”, as well as obligations to future generations.
The court’s final opinion will not be binding, but it can carry significant legal, moral and political weight.
International Court of Justice opinions are often taken into account by national courts.
Climate experts fear Tuvalu and Kiribati will be among the first countries to be swallowed by rising sea levels, while Fiji has been relocating communities to higher grounds since 2014.