YouthNet for Climate Justice, a global youth-led network advocating for climate justice, congratulates Vanuatu and Pacific young people for the adoption of a resolution seeking an advisory opinion on climate change and human rights from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) by the UN General Assembly on Wednesday, March 29. This is a significant milestone toward establishing legal rules for the global climate justice movement, said a press release.

Sohanur Rahman, Executive Coordinator of YouthNet for Climate Justice, shared, “This UN resolution to take the issue of climate change to the world’s highest court is a historic moment in the fight for climate justice, human rights, and intergenerational equity.”

Sohanur added, ”We applaud the efforts of Vanuatu, core group members including Bangladesh, other co-sponsors, and youth activists in pushing for this resolution, and we hope that this will be a significant step toward holding polluting countries accountable for their actions. This historic resolution is a crucial step towards a just and sustainable future, and we will continue to advocate for climate justice and hold countries accountable for their actions.”

The resolution, co-sponsored by over 130 countries, aims to secure a legal opinion from the ICJ to clarify states’ obligations to tackle the climate crisis and specify any consequences countries should face for inaction. This marks the first attempt to establish climate action obligations under international law, which advocates hope will strengthen climate-related litigation by helping vulnerable states and advocates hold countries accountable for their action and inaction.

Echoing with YouthNet, Prof Saleemul Huq, the director of the International Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD) said, “The vote by the General Assembly of the United Nations to support Vanuatu’s resolution to ask the International Court of Justice for an advisory opinion on the climate change injustice issue under International law is a major win for all the developing countries. The fact that it was adopted by consensus is an even more important achievement.”

An advisory opinion from the ICJ will provide clarity to States on their obligations under international law to protect their people from climate impacts and in upholding their fundamental human rights. Although non-binding in nature, it will add weight to efforts to hold governments accountable on their climate promises and in climate negotiations in major multilateral fora and can be cited in climate litigation.

YouthNet for Climate Justice is committed to continuing to fight for climate justice and holding countries accountable for their actions, concluded the press release.