Expert says one year after landmark climate ruling, Pacific children are still waiting for change

One year after the world's highest court affirmed that nations have a legal obligation to protect the climate, children in the Pacific are still grappling with the daily realities of a crisis they largely did not cause. Save the Children New Zealand highlights that the landmark advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice (ICJ), issued on July 23, 2025, has yet to bring about substantial changes in the lives of many children across the region.

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The ICJ ruling confirmed that protecting the climate isn’t optional for countries. That it’s not a matter of goodwill or ‘maybe we should do something’, but that absolutely governments have an obligation to act and protect children.

Heather Campbell, Chief Executive of Save the Children New Zealand, stated that while the ICJ ruling was a significant step, it has not halted the progression of climate change's effects on children's well-being and education. She emphasized that the ruling confirmed climate protection is not optional but a binding legal duty for governments. "What has changed is a growing international recognition of that obligation," Campbell said, noting endorsements from organizations like the UN.

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What has changed is a growing international recognition of that obligation. We’ve seen organisations like the UN endorse that decision.

However, Campbell pointed out that the climate crisis continues to disrupt lives. In Vanuatu, communities frequently affected by cyclones, earthquakes, floods, and volcanic activity see schools damaged for months, with some children learning in tents as permanent classrooms cannot be rebuilt before the next disaster. This highlights the urgent need for legal victories to be matched by practical action and investment in adaptation measures.

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On the other hand, the reality for children is that climate change and climate crisis hasn’t paused for an international legal ruling.

Renewed calls for action follow the anniversary of the ICJ ruling. Vanuatu's High Commissioner, Viranria Brown, noted that communities are already drawing on traditional knowledge and local innovation to build resilience, rather than solely waiting for global processes. International human rights lawyer Alofipo So’oalo Fleur Ramsay stressed that the success of the ICJ's advisory opinion will ultimately be measured by its tangible impact on frontline communities, expressing concern that its influence on climate litigation should not undermine the necessary course correction.

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The influence of the ICJ [Advisory Opinion] on climate litigation is still being shaped. My concern for the ICJ advisory opinion is that it be used in a way which does not undermine this course correction.