Portugal Colonial - Vanuatu: ICJ ruling a 'game-changer' for climate justice

On the eve of the pivotal ruling in The Hague, AFP spoke to the country's Climate Change Minister Ralph Regenvanu, 54, who opened the ICJ's hearings in December.

- What does this case mean for Vanuatu, and the world? -

"The Pacific Island leaders have made it very clear that climate change is the single greatest threat to the future of the Pacific peoples.

"We're talking about climate change, the thing that's going to take away the future of our children.

"For many Pacific countries, it's existential, because they will disappear, the low-lying countries like Tuvalu, like Kiribati.

"If we cannot reduce the harm we're seeing, or try to slow it down, we're really facing the very worst consequences really soon."

- What are you hoping for from the ruling? -

"We're hoping that the ICJ will say that it is a legal obligation of states to address climate change. You have to respect other states and their right to self-determination.

"Colonialism is gone -- you know, supposedly gone -- but this is a hangover where your conduct as a state continues to suppress the future of the people of another country.

"And you don't have a legal right to do that under international law. And not only that, but if your actions have already caused this harm, there have to be reparations for that."

- What impact is climate change having on your country? -

"In Vanuatu, we're seeing large areas of land that were previously habitable, and people who have lived there for a long time can no longer live there."

"The other thing you're seeing is really frequent and more intense tropical cyclones, which are the most damaging natural weather event we get in Vanuatu.

"The cyclone season is getting longer, we're seeing more extreme rainfall events, which cause flooding, landslides, that kind of thing.

"And the effect on the economy as well for the government. We're seeing a large amount of damage that has to be addressed by the state.

"You're seeing a large proportion of our GDP just going to rebuilding, recovering, and then preparing.

"We need assistance to be able to build resilient public infrastructure, so we don't have to continue to spend money on rebuilding."

- How do you feel on the eve of the ruling? -

"I feel optimistic. I think we're going to get a good opinion...

"We are crossing fingers, but very hopeful that it'll be a good result.

"And I think it will also be a game-changer for the whole climate discourse we're going through.

"We've been going through this for 30 years, you know, so it'll shift. It'll shift the narrative, which is what we need to have."

- What consequences do you see from the ruling? -

"I think the advisory opinion will be very powerful within states to be used by people taking cases against their governments.

"For every court, this will be something they can use. Whether it's a municipal-level court or a state-level court, they will be able to use this new ruling to force, try to make governments be more accountable and do more.

"But also I think for countries like Vanuatu... we will be able to take this to help us make our arguments.

"Legal clarity will be provided for a lot of the stuff we're arguing about for so long."

X.M.Francisco--PC