Abstract
Abstract This article discusses recent developments in international climate change law, in respect of which Pacific island countries and territories (PICs) have made a particularly significant contribution. PICs have been instrumental in shaping the international climate change treaty regime since its inception in the early 1990s. Since the adoption of the Paris Agreement in 2015, however, progress has stalled – and even more so since the global pandemic. With a focus on the Suva Declaration on Climate Change released prior to negotiations in Paris, this article assesses progress in two areas that have received considerable attention from PIC representatives due to their importance to the region: the long-term temperature goal and the Talanoa Dialogue; and the issue of loss and damage. While PICs have managed to make gains in both areas, climate change science indicates that current global efforts are insufficient to avoid catastrophic climate change impacts for the Pacific region. In light of this, certain PIC leaders are looking outside of the international treaty system for other ways to protect their communities and ecosystems.
Highlights
This article discusses recent developments in international climate change law, in respect of which Pacific island countries and territories (PICs) have made a significant contribution. It focuses on mitigation and loss and damage – two areas that have received considerable attention from PIC representatives in negotiations given their importance to the region
The Suva Declaration on Climate Change arose out of the Pacific Islands Development Forum’s (PIDF) Third Annual Summit held in Suva, Fiji, in September 2015.6 The Declaration can be seen in the context of a ‘paradigm shift’ in regional diplomacy towards a heightened Pacific voice in global affairs.[7]
PICs have punched above their weight in influencing the international climate treaty regime
Summary
This article discusses recent developments in international climate change law, in respect of which Pacific island countries and territories (PICs) have made a significant contribution. It focuses on mitigation and loss and damage – two areas that have received considerable attention from PIC representatives in negotiations given their importance to the region. The inclusion of a dedicated article on loss and damage has yet to lead to any real progress in terms of action and support. 2 ‘COP21: UN chief hails new climate change agreement as “monumental triumph”’, UN News Centre (12 December 2015) accessed 15 November 2020. Mead and Wewerinke-Singh financial institutions and the governments that actively and knowingly created this existential threat to [his] country.’[5]
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