BY MORRIS NAFU
Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele speaking at United Nations General Assembly last week, sounded the alarm on climate change as an unrelenting danger hammering the Pacific region.
In his address Manele painted the crisis as a “multiplier” that’s reshaping destinies worldwide.
Drawing on stark data, PM Manele highlighted the World Meteorological Organization’s report naming 2024 as the hottest year ever recorded – a grim milestone that’s derailing the 1.5°C warming limit set in the Paris Agreement.
For the Solomon Islands, a nation with one of the smallest carbon footprints on the planet, the PM proudly noted the country’s bold “Net Positive” third Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC). Yet, he stressed that more can be achieved through global teamwork, including funding for reforestation, forest protection, and shifting to renewable energy sources.
“We need bold, immediate steps to steer us back to that 1.5°C path,” PM Manele declared.
He called out major polluters and nations with deep historical emissions to step up and slash their outputs decisively.
PM Manele also pushed back against recent skepticism aired at the UN.
“The science is crystal clear on climate change, and my people are living the painful reality of it every day,” he stressed.
Manele also highlighted that strong endorsement of the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) groundbreaking Advisory Opinion on climate change, delivered on July 23, 2025.
Prompted by a UN General Assembly resolution (77/276), the ruling tackled two key issues.
One is on states’ legal duties under international law to shield the climate from damaging greenhouse gases, with a focus on fairness across generation and the other issue is the fallout for countries whose neglect harms the planet, especially vulnerable spots like Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
These SIDS including the Solomons, bear the brunt of rising seas and extreme weather despite their tiny emissions.
The opinion also covers duties to affected people, communities, and future generations whose rights to life and livelihoods hang in the balance.
“Solomon Islands warmly welcomes this historic ICJ decision and backs the push for a follow-up UN resolution,” PM Manele told the UN assembly.
He emphasized that nations now face ironclad responsibilities to avert damage, work together, and safeguard rights for today and tomorrow.
These aren’t just ethical calls – they’re enforceable laws holding countries accountable for ending destructive habits, avoiding repeats, and making amends for the harm done.
The PM also stressed on the growing crisis of climate-induced displacement, where whole villages face losing their ancestral lands.
The ICJ’s ruling reinforces the non-refoulement principle, barring any nation from sending people back to zones where climate threats make life untenable.
“This is a vital shield for rights to life, food, water, and livable homes,” he said.
For SIDS, it’s a matter of survival, underscoring that climate duties are “erga omnes”– owed to everyone, everywhere, calling for shared global action.
Dismissing attempts to confine these obligations to the Paris Agreement alone, the ICJ affirmed broader legal grounds like human rights, maritime law, and customary international rules.
It declared the 1.5°C goal legally binding which insists big emitters can’t dodge blame (even non-Paris signatories), and warns of repercussions for violations – from reparations for damages to scrutiny over fossil fuel reliance, handouts, and use.
For Pacific atolls on the front lines, the opinion offers real hope and validation. It guarantees that even if oceans swallow shorelines, island nations’ sovereignty and sea boundaries will persist.
“This isn’t just legalese, it’s a rallying cry for the world to unite in upholding 1.5°C, shielding the weakest, and forging a fair, enduring tomorrow for all,” PM Manele stated.
In closing, the Prime Minister tipped his hat to Vanuatu’s trailblazing role and the relentless drive of Pacific youth in championing this cause.
“Their passion has amplified our plight globally, proving the Pacific’s power is in our solidarity,” he said.
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