PINA

The Pacific Islands Forum Chair, Cook Islands Prime Minister Mark Brown, has 'warmly welcomed' the adoption by the UN General Assembly of a new UN Resolution asking the International Court of Justice to provide an advisory opinion on climate change. The ICJ advisory opinion will address the question of where states have obligations to address climate change, and if they...

With Tuvalu Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Kofe, speaking in Q and A mode in the margins of this week’s Pacific conference on statehood and protection of persons affected by sea level rise. The conference features global and Pacific legal experts and is dealing with “ground-breaking work that will influence a legacy for our children and future generations into perpetuity,”...

The Pacific Islands Forum has expressed the gratitude of member states to the Government of Vanuatu for its commendable and wide-ranging efforts that’s resulted in the historic adoption at the UN General Assembly of the call for an Advisory Opinion from the International Court of Justice on the obligation of States on climate change and human rights. Speaking on behalf...

A UN resolution was adopted on Wednesday that should make it easier to hold polluting countries legally accountable for failing to tackle the climate emergency, in a vote which was hailed as a historic victory for climate justice. The UN general assembly adopted by consensus the resolution spearheaded by Vanuatu, a tiny Pacific island nation vulnerable to extreme climate effects,...

The UN General Assembly will seek the opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on countries’ obligations to address climate change, following the adoption by consensus of a resolution on Wednesday. The resolution was put forward by the cyclone-battered Pacific Island nation of Vanuatu, supported by a “core group” of 17 countries from various regions, and is focused on...

A revolutionary move today as the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted a landmark resolution by consensus, calling for the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the world’s highest court, to issue an advisory opinion on climate change. Over 130 UN member states formally registered their co-sponsorship of the resolution ahead of the UNGA vote earlier today, far exceeding the simple...

University of the South Pacific (USP) head of journalism programme associate professor Shailendra Singh said the announcement by the Fiji government that it will repeal the Media Industry Development Act 2010. was expected. Dr Singh said repealing the punitive legislation was a core election platform promise of the three challenger parties which are now in power. “This is a good decision...

A group representing communities in the Bismarck and Solomon seas has opposed plans by the Papua New Guinea Government and the New Ireland administration to restart the deep-sea mining project, Solwara 1. The Alliance of Solwara Warriors (ASW), in a statement, said a recent announcement by Mining Minister Sir Ano Pala and New Ireland governor Sir Julius Chan on revisiting...

Hawaii, a Polynesian State of the United States of America (USA) is the host of the 2024 Festival of Pacific Arts & Culture (FestPAC), the world’s largest celebration of indigenous Pacific Islanders where artists, cultural practitioners, scholars, and officials from member nations of the Pacific Community (SPC) get together. The USA is one of the five founding members of SPC...

The world-famous Hong Kong skyline provided the backdrop as captains of the 28 men’s and women’s teams gathered ahead of the Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens which kicks off on Friday, 31 March. The tournament marks the eighth round in the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series 2023 in the men’s competition, including the second time in Hong Kong after the opening...