The Legal Threat of Climate Change to Small Island States

Abstract

Climate change threatens the sovereignty of Pacific Island countries. Sea level rise, wave inundation, and extreme weather events will erode coastlines and undermine the habitability of small island developing states. Together these effects raise new legal questions about the sources of island-state boundaries, identity, and political legitimacy. The Pacific Island region has made efforts over the past few years to secure their maritime boundaries in response to sea level rise, but these actions are limited in scope. Despite regional initiatives like the Pacific Boundaries Project and Vanuatu's case for the International Court of Justice, there are several outstanding considerations for policymakers. Overall, international maritime law was not written with climate change in mind, leaving small island states among the most vulnerable to both physical and legal damage.