Proposal 3: Courage for a Climate-Friendly Future - Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change

When 27 law students from the University of the South Pacific founded PISFCC in March 2019, they had a clear goal in mind: the voices of Pacific youth should be heard when it comes to climate justice. Their home islands are threatened by rising sea levels and extreme weather events, and their cultures and ways of life are at stake. For them, climate change means not only the loss of land, but also of identity, belonging and centuries-old knowledge.

The students decided to take a bold step: they wanted to put the climate crisis on the agenda of the International Court of Justice. To do so, they combined legal expertise, personal experience and the power of col­lective engagement. With perseverance and international solidarity, they gradually convinced their governments, supporters from civil society and, finally, the United Nations to adopt a historic initiative.

In 2023, the UN General Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution calling on the International Court of Justice to issue an advisory opinion on the obligations of states in dealing with climate change. In doing so, this movement achieved what had previously been considered impossible: involving the world‘s highest court in a debate that combines human rights, international responsibility and climate protection.

The PISFCC made it clear that climate change is more than a scientific or economic issue. It is a matter of human dignity, cultural identity and intergenerational justice. Through their work, they brought personal testimonies and indigenous perspectives into spaces where only diplomats and law­yers would otherwise speak.

Today, the movement has over 100 members from across the Pacific region, with chapters in the Solomon Islands, Fiji, Vanuatu and Tonga. Their success before the court is not only a legal victory, but also a symbol of the power of young people to demand global justice. The PISFCC continues to work to empower future generations, hold states accountable and overcome fossil fuel dependency.

The work of the PISFCC makes it clear that climate justice goes far beyond political negotiations. It shows that law, culture and lived experience belong together and that international decisions cannot be made with­out the voices of those affected.

Through their efforts, they have shown that invoking international law in joint action can bring about change – a strong signal of responsibility towards present and future generations.

PISFCC receives the Right Livelihood Award in 2026.

Information how to vote here:  Award of the Donors

www.pisfcc.org