By Lagi Keresoma/
Apia, Samoa – 12 August 2025: There is an urgent call from Pacific Islands to utilise the recent advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) that gives a mechanism to hold states and superpower countries accountable for their actions contributing to the loss and damages caused by climate change.
This came out in the Pacific Climate Change Roundtable/Pacific Loss & Damage Dialogue currently hosted in Apia.
Representatives from the Pacific region are engaged in discussions on ways to get justice for the loss and damages caused by climate change to the Pacific countries emanating from the actions of superpowers and industrial countries.
The dialogue was officially opened yesterday by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE) Lealaisalanoa Frances Brown Reupena.
“Loss and Damage as an issue remains of critical importance to the Pacific Climate changes causing harms to our families, communities and countries and these harms are only set to continue even under the most favourable emissions pathways,” said Lealaisalanoa.
Representatives shared the impact of climate change to their countries and have called on a collective action from the Pacific leaders.
With the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) leaders meeting coming up next month in the Solomon Islands, several representatives have asked how climate change can be placed at a priority level at the PIF meetings.
“Fighting for climate justice is a tough and difficult fight that the Pacific has been fighting for many years, and recently we have witnessed some positive outcomes of these continuous efforts, particularly in the delivery of the advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice which for the first time gives the Pacific and all vulnerable communities a legal mechanism to hold states accountable and to demand climate action that is long overdue,” said Lealaisalanoa.
There has also been a call to hold the States accountable and Dr. Christopher Barlett, Vanuatu Country Director of SPC acknowledged the call.
“Absolutely, acknowledgement and responsibility is the call of the day; it has been too long and that has got to change,” he said.
On 23 July 2025, the International Court of Justice in the Hague issued an advisory opinion that hold States responsible for their actions and breaches of their obligations and may give rise to entire legal consequences provided for under the law of State responsibility.
Vanuatu was responsible for the global call on the UN to address States accountability to climate change back in 2023, and the UN took it further to the ICJ who delivered their advisory opinion last month.
Youth voice
There has been a two-day session for youth where they voiced concern and what they hope to see happen in the future.
Although they understand climate change is a complex issue, they remain hopeful and are determined to be “heard and seen”.
They want their voices to rise above the waves and be heard and the platform provided by the recent dialogue has given them an opening for participation for more future dialogue.
They call to be included in the design and implementation of activities to address climate impact, and capacity building.
