US pressures Vanuatu at UN over ICJ’s landmark climate change ruling | Climate Crisis News
U.S. Urges Vanuatu to Withdraw Climate Resolution Proposal
The United States is pressing other nations to encourage Vanuatu to retract a draft resolution it has introduced to the United Nations, which supports a recent decision by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) mandating states take legal action regarding climate change.
A cable from the U.S. State Department, reviewed by Al Jazeera on Saturday, indicates that the Trump administration “strongly objects” to the resolution being circulated by Vanuatu in support of the landmark ICJ ruling issued last year. This ruling asserts that countries bear a legal responsibility to respond to the threat posed by climate change.
The Associated Press, which also reported on the cable, noted that it has been distributed to all U.S. embassies and consulates following Vanuatu’s announcement of the draft resolution.
The cable urges Vanuatu to “immediately withdraw its draft resolution” and cease using the ICJ’s advisory opinion to promote what it characterizes as unfounded legal claims.
The ICJ’s decision followed extensive deliberation, where the court’s 15 judges reviewed thousands of pages of documentation and heard oral arguments over two weeks. This marked the largest case in the court’s history, ultimately concluding that nations are obligated to address the “existential threat” of climate change.
Vanuatu’s initiative gained traction after having received support from 132 countries within the UN General Assembly, which holds the authority to request advisory opinions from the ICJ.
The Trump administration has been noted for its efforts to reverse U.S. commitments to climate action, both domestically and internationally. The cable criticizes Vanuatu’s resolution as relying on “speculative climate models” to create unsubstantiated legal obligations.
In contrast, human rights advocates, including Louis Charbonneau, director for Human Rights Watch at the UN, have voiced their approval of Vanuatu’s resolution. Charbonneau stated that governments have a duty to protect human rights, which includes environmental stewardship.
Vanuatu’s UN Ambassador Odo Tevi expressed his desire for a vote on the resolution by the end of March. He emphasized that finalizing the resolution would enhance clarity in the ICJ ruling and bolster global cooperation on climate action.
According to an article from Vanuatu’s Daily Post, the draft resolution has garnered support from nations such as Barbados, Burkina Faso, Colombia, Jamaica, Kenya, and the Marshall Islands. Many of these countries are already confronting severe climate change repercussions, including more intense storms.
Former President Trump has indicated a pro-drilling agenda and has withdrawn the U.S. from key climate agreements, including the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. He has also threatened sanctions against diplomats advocating for environmental measures, exacerbating tensions regarding international climate policy.
