Advocating for Climate Change at the International Court of Justice
The Pacific Island Climate Action Network (PICAN) is a coalition of civil society organizations with an emerging influence in the Pacific regional climate policy arena. PICAN members play a substantial role in micro-policy and norm-setting. Pacific governments and international organizations look to PICAN members for innovative ideas and information, and officials now commonly realize that consultation with (and support from) the Pacific climate NGOs gives their public decisions more credibility.
CJRF provided a modest grant to PICAN between 2020 and 2022 in support of PICAN’s advocacy to get the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to release an advisory opinion on climate change. PICAN believes that an ICJ advisory jurisdiction is a useful and non-contentious way of forming an independent international legal statement on state obligation for climate change. PICAN’s theory of change was that an ICJ opinion could provide legal precedent for current climate litigation cases before multiple jurisdictions around the globe.
On July 23, 2025, the International Court of Justice delivered its much anticipated advisory opinion on the obligations of States with respect to climate change. Although an advisory opinion on climate change by the ICJ is not binding on any state, previous advisory opinions have played a role in rewriting of and strengthening international law. ICJ opinions can also result in a resolution from the UN or may become binding by passing of a treaty. This is a good first step in getting action by other state actors around the globe, and PICAN deserves much of the credit.
