Pleading for Human Rights and Climate Justice – West Webinar

📅 Pleading for Human Rights and Climate Justice: Reflections on the climate hearings before the International Court of Justice
12 March 2025 3 - 4:30 PM UTC

From 2 to 13 December 2024, 96 States and 11 international organisations had the opportunity to plead before the Court in The Hague and present their arguments on States’ climate obligations under international law and human rights. This level of participation in ICJ oral hearings marks an unprecedented moment in history.

The release of the advisory opinion from the Court has the potential to become a vital tool in the fight for climate justice and a sustainable future, to hold States accountable for failing to uphold their obligations under international law, and to protect and guarantee fundamental human rights and the rights of those most affected by this crisis, including Small Island Developing States and future generations.

While the Court is deliberating, the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), World's Youth for Climate Justice (WYCJ), and Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change (PISFCC) hosted a webinar to discuss and reflect on the arguments presented during the hearings. Looking ahead at the forthcoming delivery of the advisory opinion, speakers considered ideal outcomes and accountability pathways forward for after the delivery. This presented a unique opportunity for the audience to hear directly from diplomats and legal counsel who have been tirelessly working on this case, as well as from civil society and the youth who have been driving the campaign for the advisory opinion.

The webinars' speakers were legal experts, many of whom have been directly involved in the ICJ advisory proceedings. Margaretha Wewerinke-Singh, Patrícia Galvão Teles, Kate Mackintosh, and Zachary Phillips represented Vanuatu, Portugal, Palestine, and Antigua and Barbuda before the ICJ respectively and will, together with David R. Boyd and Louise Fournier, form our panel for the West webinar.
Cynthia Houniuhi, Ilan Kiloe, Felina Yu, Justin Sobion, Cristelle Pratt, and Johanna Gusman represented the Melanesian Spearhead Group, Philippines, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada; Secretariat of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS), and Pacific Community-SPC before the ICJ respectively were our panellists for the East webinar.

The webinar was held twice, with the West webinar taking place from 3 - 4:30 PM UTC on the 12th of March, and the East webinar taking place from 7:30 - 9 AM UTC on the 13th of March. The West webinar was broadcasted with live interpretation from English/Spanish and the East webinar was broadcasted with live interpretation from English/French!

Видео Pleading for Human Rights and Climate Justice – West Webinar канала World's Youth for Climate Justice