SB | July 2026

July 27, 2026

SALIGAN Batas | Updates

The Voyage to Climate Justice: From the Pacific to the International Court of Justice

Michelle Angela M. Ucab 1

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued an Advisory Opinion (AO) last July 23, 2025 regarding  the obligations of States with respect to climate change. According to the Institute for Environment and Human  Security of the United Nations University (2025), it was the biggest advisory proceeding in the history of ICJ  with 91 written statements from different countries and organizations. With a unanimous decision, the ICJ  stated that States have legal obligation under the international law to take action against climate change. The  highest court even expressed that it must not only be an obligation among States but their highest ambition.2

Setting Sail  

Unbeknownst to the world, this game-changing AO was an initiative of a youth-led organization named  the Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change (PISFCC). Its members are students from the Pacific  Island countries who are anchored by a mission of fighting against climate change at every level – from the  grassroots of communities to national and international governments. Their voyage towards climate justice  started in March 2019 when 27 law students from the University of South Pacific from eight (8) Pacific Island  countries began a campaign by writing letters to persuade the leaders of the Pacific Island Forum (PIF) to  endorse the issue of climate change and human rights to the ICJ. Beyond this global climate ambition, they are  also committed to educating and empowering the Pacific Island youth to take action against climate change.3

Voyage to Climate Justice  

In the initial phase of campaigning, PISFCC conducted initiatives and outreach with grassroots  communities to gain support from the Pacific states. As a result, their members grew from 27 to more than a  hundred across the Pacific who all pushed for their States to support and formally endorse the campaign. In  August 2022, PIF convened for its 51st Leader’s Meeting, where the request for an advisory opinion from the  ICJ on the obligations of States regarding climate change and human rights was put on the agenda. This resulted  in a unanimous endorsement of all PIF member countries. The campaign even further cruised outside the  region to garner votes at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). The Vanuatu government assembled  a core group of countries to lead the negotiations on the draft of the UNGA resolution. On March 29, 2023, the  UNGA unanimously adopted Resolution 77/276, which called on the ICJ to issue an advisory opinion on the  obligations of states regarding climate change. The historic campaign demonstrated unprecedented  representation, participation, and cooperation from States in every continent in ICJ’s history. Two (2) years  later, the ICJ issued its opinion on July 23, 2025.4

A Never-Ending Journey  

The ‘unanimous decisions’ from PIF to UNGA up until the ICJ only proves that the effects of climate  change know no boundaries. Nevertheless, despite its repercussions being felt globally, it must be recognized  that there is a disproportionate burden faced by vulnerable groups and communities across the globe,  particularly the women, children, and refugees.5 The same cannot be even more true for the Pacific Island  whose very existence is threatened by the rising sea levels. Hence, this sought after and long-awaited AO is a  huge milestone for the students, youth, leaders, and peoples of the Pacific Islands whose burning passion for climate advocacy set the global stage towards stronger climate action and accountability. For the world, the ICJ  AO might just be a step. But for the Pacific peoples, it meant protection of homes, livelihood, and culture.6

They not only carry the flags of their right to survival, but also of the future generations’. The voyage towards  climate justice in the ICJ may be born out of the Pacific, but it was meant to sail forever across the world.  

The fight towards climate justice is a never-ending voyage.  

  1. Michelle Angela M. Ucab is currently a fourth-year law student of Ateneo de Davao University. She completed her CLEP placement with SALIGAN from August 6, 2025 to April 10, 2026. ↩︎
  2. Kreft, S., & Solmecke, M. (2025, July 28). Delivering Climate Justice? The ICJ Advisory Opinion and its Significance  for Climate Action. Retrieved from UNU-EHS: https://unu.edu/ehs/commentary/delivering-climate-justice-icj advisory-opinion-and-its-significance-climate-action ↩︎
  3.  PISFCC. (2025). Who We Are? Retrieved from Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change:  https://www.pisfcc.org/who-we-are 
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  4.  PISFCC. (2025). Our Journey . Retrieved from Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change :  https://www.pisfcc.org/ourjourney ↩︎
  5. PISFCC. (2025). Our Journey . Retrieved from Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change :  https://www.pisfcc.org/ourjourney ↩︎
  6. Webb, S., Bajaj, G., Donse, C., Martin, C., Thomas, M., Robertson, C., . . . Esq., E. S. (2025, July 17). Countdown to the  ICJ’s landmark Climate Change Advisory Opinion: A recap of key arguments. Retrieved from DLA PIPER:  https://www.dlapiper.com/en-us/insights/publications/2025/07/countdown-to-the-icjs-landmark-climate change-advisory-opinion ↩︎
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