Vanuatu is set to renew its campaign for climate justice at the United Nations General Assembly with a revised draft resolution aimed at advancing accountability for climate-related losses and damages. The Pacific island nation, which has been a vocal advocate for support to countries vulnerable to climate change impacts, adjusted its proposal following opposition from several countries, including major oil producers.

The draft resolution, expected to be put to a vote in May, seeks to build on a landmark advisory opinion issued last year by the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The ICJ concluded that states have a legal obligation under international law to address climate change and that failure to do so could lead to liability for affected countries. Vanuatu played a leading role in requesting this advisory opinion in 2024, underscoring its commitment to securing greater recognition of climate responsibilities.

Initially, the draft included provisions to establish an "International Register of Damage" designed to collect evidence of loss, damage, or injury attributable to climate change. However, this element was removed after substantial pushback from a coalition of countries including the United States, China, the European Union, Japan, and several oil-exporting states such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, and Venezuela. Diplomats from these countries argued the original draft exceeded the scope of the ICJ’s advisory opinion and feared it could undermine the cooperative spirit of the 2015 Paris Agreement.

Representatives from fossil fuel-dependent nations have also expressed skepticism regarding the scientific links between specific extreme weather events and climate change, contending that moves toward formal compensation mechanisms risk derailing progress on global climate commitments. Some have described the initial draft as crossing "multiple red lines," while observers note that concerns around compensation or liability remain particularly sensitive.

Vanuatu’s Special Envoy for Climate Justice, Lee-Anne Sackett, acknowledged the dilution of the original proposal but emphasized the importance of the resolution in reinforcing the authority of the ICJ’s findings and promoting stronger climate action. Sackett described the geopolitical context as challenging, with climate ambition being deprioritized amid global tensions, but affirmed the country’s determination to continue advancing the issue despite setbacks. "Every year does matter for us," she said, highlighting the existential threat that rising sea levels pose to island nations like Vanuatu.

Observers from civil society expressed mixed views on the revised resolution. Legal adviser Bryce Rudyk of the Alliance of Small Island States noted that opposition to the register largely stems from fears that it would pave the way for formal reparations. Meanwhile, a human rights advocate welcomed Vanuatu’s persistence but lamented the concessions made in the face of diplomatic resistance.

The renewed effort comes as the international community continues to grapple with implementing the loss and damage fund, established only in 2023 under the Paris Agreement. The fund remains in early stages, and questions persist over how to translate global commitments into concrete assistance for vulnerable populations facing the increasing impacts of climate change.