Vanuatu calls on Australia to back its UN bid to recognise climate change harm

If the campaign is successful then this would be the first authoritative statement on climate change issued by the court and could have huge implications for climate change litigation, the setting of domestic law, and international, regional and domestic disputes on climate harm.

For it to be successful in its campaign, Vanuatu must get a majority of the UN general assembly to vote in favour of presenting a question on the climate crisis to the ICJ in September. Vanuatu is currently undertaking a huge diplomatic campaign to garner support for the advisory opinion.

Regenvanu said that a key test for the Albanese government would come at the Pacific Islands Forum meeting next month, as Pacific countries discuss whether to endorse the question put forward by Vanuatu.

Countries are currently negotiating the language of the question that would be presented to the court, with the formulation of the question crucial to how much leeway the court has to make statements. Legal experts say high-emitting countries might only support a narrowly framed question in order to avoid potential liability.

Pacific leaders have repeatedly said they consider the climate crisis to be the primary security threat to their region.