The International Court of Justice issued a landmark advisory opinion obligating nations to limit greenhouse gas emissions, following testimony from Pacific Islanders like Coral Pasisi. Now, Indigenous advocates from the region are heading to COP30 in Brazil to demand adherence. They emphasize phasing out fossil fuels, funding recovery, and including traditional knowledge in decisions.
In December 2024, Coral Pasisi testified before the International Court of Justice in The Hague, recounting the devastation from Cyclone Heta that struck Niue in January 2004. The storm brought 184-mile-per-hour winds and 164-foot waves, destroying the island's national museum, hospital, courthouse, and fuel depot. Two residents died, and damage reached nearly 48 million U.S. dollars—five times Niue's annual GDP—for its population of just over 1,700. "This is an unimaginable and irreparable and irreplaceable non-economic loss," Pasisi told the court. "One that has robbed our children of their future inherent rights of traditional knowledge and cultural identity."
Pasisi's account was one of over 100 testimonies that led the ICJ to rule that every nation has a legal obligation to curb emissions. The case originated from law students at the University of the South Pacific in Vanuatu. Though non-binding, the advisory opinion strengthens international law on climate duties.
As director of climate change and sustainability at The Pacific Community, Pasisi and other advocates are attending COP30 in Brazil to push for compliance. "This is a different lens of clarity that we all have now going into COP30," Pasisi said. They demand phasing out fossil fuels, funding for disaster recovery, and integration of Indigenous ecological knowledge. Critics oppose seabed mining for transition minerals, arguing it harms Pacific ecosystems. Some suggest hosting the next COP in Australia to highlight regional impacts.
Belyndar Rikimani, from the Solomon Islands and a founder of the Vanuatu student group, stated: "Our homes, cultures, and ways of life are at the front lines of a crisis we did not cause. Our goal is to remind negotiators that behind every policy decision are real people and real lives at risk."
Sindra Sharma of the Pacific Islands Climate Action Network called the ruling a "tool of hope and ambition," urging revised national emissions targets to stay below 1.5 degrees Celsius warming. Pasisi noted funding delays—often eight years—and past denials, like Niue's post-cyclone aid rejection for not qualifying as adaptation.
Māori youth from New Zealand Aotearoa advocate for Indigenous governance, honoring Te Tiriti o Waitangi and recognizing nature's personhood, as with Taranaki Maunga earlier this year. Despite past broken promises, Pasisi finds hope in youth dedication: "The fact that they led the ICJ call just shows you how powerful young people can be if you give them the space."