Seeking Climate Justice: The ICJ’s Advisory Path hosted in The Hague

On 15th August, World’s Youth for Climate Justice (WYCJ) organized an in-person event, “Seeking Climate Justice: The ICJ’s Advisory Path,” at the Humanity Hub in The Hague. The event brought together 60 participants from across government and civil society and aimed to raise attention to the upcoming deadline for the written comments in the ICJ Advisory Opinion on climate change and provide an update on the state of play to civil society and state representatives.

In his opening remarks, H.E. Georges Maniuri, ambassador of Vanuatu to the European Union, shared that Vanuatu made its submission to the ICJ earlier that day. Moderated by Sumeyra Arslan board member of WYCJ, the event included a panel discussion with Manasa Venkatachalam from Blue Ocean Law, Augustine Sokimi legal counsel of the permanent mission of the Republic of the Marshall Islands to the UN in Geneva, Brittien Yosef of the Melanesian Spearhead Group, and Joie Chowdhury of the Center for International Environmental Law.

The discussion focused on different outcomes the ICJ AO can have and ensuring it is a people-centered process. Augustine Sokimi highlighted that climate change causes displacement among communities in the Marshall Islands who, in the past, have already been affected by the devastating impacts of nuclear testing. Brittien Yosef shared that the Melanesian Spearhead Group’s submission focused on the impacts of climate change on traditions and languages, biodiversity, and children and youth. Joie Chowdhury emphasized that the ICJ AO can provide a legal roadmap towards human and planetary well-being, and that people participation is part of a rights-based approach and leads to more effective outcomes. Manasa Venkatachalam shared that despite the ICJ AO proceedings being a state process, it is important that climate change is humanized by including stories from people and local communities who are most affected.