Vanuatu's plea to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) marks a significant push to legally establish the responsibility of nations for their carbon emissions and the resulting impacts on vulnerable countries like Vanuatu. The Pacific Island nation's delegation staunchly argued that specific states with prominent emissions records should bear the onus of halting greenhouse gas emissions and providing compensatory measures for the damages caused by climate change.
Ralph Regenvanu, Vanuatu's special envoy on climate change, emphasized the urgent need for the court to recognize climate change as not just a political issue but a legal obligation under international law. In their submission to the ICJ, Vanuatu advanced the idea that international agreements and conventions on climate change must be viewed holistically in conjunction with broader laws concerning human rights and environmental protection.
Australia's presentation at The Hague took a different stance, emphasizing the significance of existing climate treaties like the Paris Agreement and the UNFCCC in guiding nations' actions in combating climate change. The Australian solicitor-general underscored the idea that these agreements form the cornerstone of countries' responsibilities regarding climate change under international law, diverging from Vanuatu's call for a more robust legal framework to address climate crisis issues.