In this short blog post, the executive assistant of the Climate Change Law Specialist Group IUCN WCEL – Aditi Shetye shares her thoughts and analysis on the 77th United Nations General Assembly held in September 2022 in the context of climate action and high-level discussions by parties and their national delegations’ on Vanuatu’s International Court of Justice Advisory Opinion (ICJAO) initiative. This blog is written for the Climate Change Law Network and World’s Youth for Climate Justice (WYCJ).

The World Commission on Environmental Law (WCEL), IUCN and University of Oslo, hosted an International Environmental Law Conference in Oslo in October 2022. WYCJ’s academic team leader, Aditi Shetye and team member, Manon Rouby were invited to present WYCJ’s ICJAO initiative

On a hot summer day in July, WYCJ co-hosted a Conversation on the ICJ, Climate Change and Human Rights - the Pacific and the Caribbean connect at the Geneva Graduate Institute. The event was kindly sponsored by Sidley Austin LLP.

El pasado 22 de agosto de 2022, las organizaciones integrantes del nodo para América Latina del Climate Action Network (CANLA) apoyaron, por unanimidad la campaña global en búsqueda de una Opinión Consultiva sobre cambio climático y derechos humanos por parte de la Corte Internacional de Justicia promovida por jóvenes de las organizaciones World’s Youth for Climate Justice (WYCJ) y Pacific Islands Students Fighting for Climate Change (PISFCC).

On the 10th of June, WYCJ hosted the side event ‘Keeping 1.5 alive, a global youth-led campaign for climate justice’ in Bonn in the framework of the UN climate change negotiations. The event highlighted the potential of requesting an ICJ Advisory Opinion and galvanized young people to get involved in the WYCJ campaign. The event was hosted in collaboration with Youth & Environment Europe, the largest environmental youth organization in Europe, and the Jonge Klimaatbeweging, the largest youth climate organization in the Netherlands.

From 19-21 May the ChangeNOW Summit took place at the Grand Palais in Paris. Stubborn optimists from WYCJ were present to raise awareness on the youth-led campaign and seek support from other organizations present.

A global alliance of civil society groups, representing over 1500 civil society organisations in 130 countries, has launched today to support a powerful new climate justice initiative by the Government of Vanuatu to take the human rights impacts of climate change to the world’s highest court, the International Court of Justice.

On 7th of October 2021, Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands launched a coalition of youth, children’s rights and climate organisations calling on the government of the Netherlands to support the request for an ICJ Advisory Opinion on climate

We were excited to see that the Deutsche Gesellschaft für die Vereinten Nationen (DGVN) partnered with WYCJ advocating for international collaboration for peace and a sustainable future.

At the Thirty-Third Inter-Sessional Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Heads of Government indicated their support for the ICJAO Campaign.

This event is the third in a series of four global webinars being held over 2021/2022 to consider a range of issues concerning the value of such a case, what to ask the court, how to win the case and how the outcome could be implemented.

WYCJ representatives, Ms. Aditi Shetye and Ms. Dulki Seethawaka participated in an international webinar organised by the Centre for Environmental Law and Policy (CELP) of the University of Colombo and Commonwealth Climate Cohort under the Association of Commonwealth Universities in partnership with the University of Mauritius.

World’s Youth for Climate Justice has joined the SME Climate Hub, as part of the UN’s Race to Zero. WYCJ is very committed to contributing to cutting global emissions, and is also cognisant about reducing its own carbon footprint

18 young campaigners from across Europe had crossed the north sea, weathered delayed trains and storm disruptions and heavy rain to make it to WYCJ’s first-ever in-person training.

World’s Youth for Climate Justice has signed an agreement with Humanity Hub, a community hub based in The Hague. Humanity Hub brings together organisations working on peace & justice.

WYCJ Campaign team were at COP26 to rally support for the ICJAO campaign at this year’s crucial climate gathering.