The Marshall Islands has warned that rising sea levels, coastal erosion and extreme weather could expose unexploded wartime explosives, creating additional risks for vulnerable Pacific Island communities.
Speaking during a United Nations Human Rights Council debate on victim assistance for people affected by anti-personnel mines, the Marshall Islands said Pacific small island developing states faced particular challenges in addressing explosive remnants of war (ERWs).
“For Pacific small island developing states, the legacy and threat of explosive remnants of war are particular challenges,” the country told the council.
“Geographic dispersion, limited national capacities, and the high cost of reaching remote communities can make victim assistance especially difficult to sustain.”
The Marshall Islands said climate-related hazards added another layer of risk, particularly for coastal and island communities.
“Sea level rise, coastal erosion, flooding and storm surges can expose or displace explosive remnants of war, creating additional risks for vulnerable coastal and island communities,” it said.
The concerns are reflected in a new Human Rights Council resolution, A/HRC/63/L.24, which specifically recognises the links between explosive remnants of war, climate-related impacts and small island developing states.
Co-sponsored by 70 countries, the resolution, titled The impact of anti-personnel mines on the full enjoyment of all human rights: strengthening victim assistance, recognises the continuing threat posed by explosive remnants of war, including unexploded ordnance (UXO).
The resolution builds on an earlier measure adopted in 2025, A/HRC/RES/58/22, which examined the impact of anti-personnel mines on the full enjoyment of human rights.
While the earlier resolution did not specifically mention explosive remnants of war, it broadened the discussion beyond humanitarian mine clearance to consider the human rights of victims and survivors.
The latest resolution calls for a formal panel discussion on victim assistance at the Human Rights Council’s 66th session in 2027. It also requires the inclusion and active participation of survivors in the discussion.
It further invites UN Special Rapporteurs to incorporate victim assistance into their country-monitoring work, including during country visits, and to raise related concerns publicly during Human Rights Council sessions.
The measures aim to strengthen attention to the needs and rights of people affected by mines and explosive remnants of war, including access to assistance and the challenges faced by survivors.
The issue has particular significance for Pacific countries, where wartime explosives remain a legacy of past conflicts and can pose risks to communities, especially when environmental changes expose previously buried or submerged ordnance.
The year 2027 will mark the 30th anniversary of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention, also known as the Ottawa Treaty, which prohibits the use, stockpiling, production and transfer of anti-personnel mines and requires their destruction.
The resolution reinforces the need to address the lasting human rights consequences of mines and explosive remnants of war, including the additional challenges climate-related impacts create for vulnerable island states.
