In this bulletin:
1. PACIFIC — Pacific marks one year since landmark ICJ climate ruling with call for action
2. JAPAN — Japan, Solomon Islands agree to deepen ties ahead of PALM11
3. PACIFIC — Pacific ICT Ministers focus on digital progress, AI and online safety
4. PACIFIC — Pacific ICT Ministers urged to shape region’s digital future on their own terms
5. PNG — China willing to see PNG play greater role in international affairs: FM
6. FIJI — Fiji Parliament committee rejects move to scrap election app
7. VAN — Operation Render Safe identifies WWII explosives in Vanuatu, strengthens Pacific security
8. NZ — Asia regional meetings conclude amid international turbulence
9. PACNEWS BIZ — Independent Power Producers in PNG deny blame for performance
10. PACNEWS BIZ — Fiji Fisheries Minister blames Labour Party leader Chaudhry for sugar industry woes
11. PACNEWS IN FOCUS — Vanuatu Won the Legal Argument. Now to Change Climate Finance
12. PACNEWS DIGEST — Niue cuts diesel use by 1.2 million litres a year with Sunergise
PAC – CLIMATE CHANGE: PACNEWS PACNEWS 1: Fri 24 Jul 2026
Pacific marks one year since landmark ICJ climate ruling with call for action
By Sanjeshni Kumar
SUVA, 24 JULY 2026 (PACNEWS)—One year after the International Court of Justice’s landmark climate advisory opinion, Pacific leaders and the student campaigners behind the case are calling for governments to translate the historic legal victory into meaningful climate action.
Marking the first anniversary of the court’s unanimous ruling during a commemorative webinar, speakers said the Pacific-led campaign had reshaped international climate law by affirming countries’ legal obligations to protect the climate system.
But they warned the real test now lies in turning that legal clarity into action ahead of pre-COP discussions and COP31 later this year.
The advisory opinion, delivered on 23 July 2025, confirmed that states have obligations under international law to protect the climate system from greenhouse gas emissions and that failure to meet those obligations could carry legal consequences.
For Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change (PISFCC) director Vishal Prasad, the anniversary was a reminder of how an idea conceived by students in a University of the South Pacific classroom grew into one of the most significant climate rulings in history.
“One year ago, today, exactly to this day, we stood… at the Peace Palace in The Hague, and we listened as the world’s highest court read out unanimously what our region had been campaigning for six years.”
Prasad said the achievement belonged not only to those who led the campaign, but to the Pacific region.
“From a classroom to the bench of the world court, and then back to the floor of the General Assembly in six years. No region has done this before.”
Vanuatu High Commissioner to Fiji Viranria Brown said the campaign had demonstrated what Pacific nations could achieve when they worked together.
“The ICJ advisory opinion represents one of the most significant examples of Pacific leadership in international diplomacy in recent decades.”
She said the movement’s origins reflected what made it unique.
“The journey began not in government, as we know, but with our students, our youth from the USP campus in Vanuatu, whose vision was embraced by the Government of Vanuatu.”
Brown said the campaign proved “that even the smallest and the most vulnerable climate states like ours and the Pacific can shape international law when they combine principled leadership, strategic diplomacy and broad partnership.”
While speakers celebrated the legal victory, they agreed the next phase would be defined not by the ruling itself, but by how governments use it.
Fiji’s Permanent Secretary for Environment and Climate Change, Dr Sivendra Michael, said the advisory opinion had fundamentally changed the basis of global climate negotiations.
“The Pacific no longer negotiates on the basis of a moral appeal, vulnerability or charity. We negotiate on the basis of the law.”
He said the ruling should underpin every Pacific negotiating position heading into COP31.
“The advisory opinion is the foundation the Pacific must stand on at COP31.”
Dr Michael said the court had also settled one of the most contested issues in climate negotiations.
“The 1.5-degree temperature guardrail is the legal threshold. It is not an aspiration.”
He warned countries seeking to weaken climate science that the Pacific would continue to defend it.
“Those that choose to question the science… they are not the friends of the Pacific, and definitely they are not friends of Fiji.”
Pacific Islands Climate Action Network International Policy Lead Dr Sindra Sharma said the advisory opinion had strengthened the legal position of vulnerable countries, even as resistance to its implementation had intensified.
“One year after that landmark victory, the climate policy world is characterised by a stark divide between unprecedented legal clarity and now severe political obstruction.”
Despite the pushback, she said the resistance reflected the scale of the change the advisory opinion had created.
“This is expected when you are actively changing systems, when you are world-making.”
She said Pacific negotiators were already seeing the difference the ruling had made.
“When the Pacific shows up… they show up with a different kind of strength behind them now.”
She added that “the legal clarity provided by the ICJ has consistently outpaced the procedural readiness to enforce it.”
Brown said the advisory opinion had shifted the international conversation from political ambition to legal responsibility.
“The ICJ opinion now changes the conversation from what states should do to what international law requires them to do.”
Greenpeace Australia Pacific Head of the Pacific Shiva Gounden said the movement succeeded because it united students, governments, lawyers, scientists, Indigenous communities and civil society around a common purpose.
“Monumental initiatives of justice usually starts with one person and becomes a movement. In this case, in the true Pacific way, it started off as a small collective.”
He said the coalition demonstrated “that when a movement is anchored in unity, humility, and shared survival, no tide can turn it back.”
Gounden said the court’s ruling finally brought international law into line with what climate science had been saying for decades.
“Science, which has been loudly telling us for decades, but today the law has finally caught up.”
But he cautioned that the advisory opinion alone would not protect communities already living with the impacts of climate change.
“A legal ruling alone does not hold back the sea. A piece of paper in The Hague will not rebuild communities after a Category 5 cyclone.”
As governments prepare for another round of international climate negotiations, Gounden said the responsibility now lies with leaders to ensure the advisory opinion delivers meaningful change.
“The opinion is our new map but we are the ones who must navigate that ship,” he said…..PACNEWS
JAPAN – DIPLOMACY: PACNEWS PACNEWS 1: Fri 24 Jul 2026
Japan, Solomon Islands agree to deepen ties ahead of PALM11
TOKYO, 24 JULY 2026 (PACNEWS)—Japan and Solomon Islands have agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation and work closely ahead of the 11th Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM11) in 2027, following talks between Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae and Solomon Islands Prime Minister Matthew Copper Wale in Tokyo on Thursday.
Prime Minister Takaichi congratulated Prime Minister Wale on assuming office in May and welcomed his visit to Japan shortly after taking office, saying it reflected the importance he places on traditional partners, including Japan.
She said Japan wanted to deepen cooperation with Solomon Islands, describing the country as “a friend connected by the Pacific Ocean and sharing values such as freedom, democracy, the rule of law, and human rights,” under the vision of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific.
“We hope to build up cooperation so that we can become strong and prosperous together,” Takaichi said.
Prime Minister Takaichi also informed Prime Minister Wale of Japan’s decision to provide a loan and reaffirmed Japan’s commitment to supporting his Government’s policy priorities, promoting the freedom of Solomon Islands to make its own decisions, and strengthening the country’s resilience.
The Japanese government decided to provide low-interest loans of ¥3 billion (US$18,311,118) to the Solomon Islands as part of its development cooperation.
Prime Minister Wale thanked the Government and people of Japan for their wide-ranging support and reaffirmed his commitment to further strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries.
The two leaders also exchanged views on regional affairs in the Indo-Pacific and confirmed the importance of maintaining and strengthening the unity of the Pacific Island region.
They agreed to continue close cooperation, including preparations for the 11th Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting (PALM11), which is scheduled to be held in Yokohama around the summer of 2027…..PACNEWS
PAC – ICT MEET: PACNEWS PACNEWS 1: Fri 24 Jul 2026
Pacific ICT Ministers focus on digital progress, AI and online safety
PORT MORESBY, 24 JULY 2026 (PACNEWS)— Pacific ICT Ministers have begun discussions on the region’s digital future, with Papua New Guinea calling for stronger cooperation on digital transformation, artificial intelligence and online safety.
Opening the Forum ICT Ministers Meeting, Chair and Papua New Guinea’s Minister for Information and Communication, Robert Naguri welcomed delegates as Papua New Guinea assumed the chairmanship of the meeting.
“As Papua New Guinea assumes the chairmanship of this meeting, it is my great pleasure, on behalf of the Government and people of Papua New Guinea, to welcome you to Port Moresby for this important gathering.”
He thanked Ministers and officials for attending the meeting.
“We are very grateful that you have made the time to be here with us, and we sincerely thank for your presence and support.”
Naguri said the meeting provided an opportunity for Pacific countries to discuss issues affecting the region.
“Today’s meeting is an important opportunity for us, as a Pacific family, to come together and reflect on issues that matter to our people, our communities, and our shared future.”
He said a major item on the agenda would allow Ministers to review national progress under the Lagatoi Declaration and the Pacific ICT and Digital Transformation Action Plan.
“A key part of our agenda today is Agenda Item 4, where Ministers will have the opportunity to hear from each other on our individual national progress under the Lagatoi Declaration and the Pacific ICT and Digital Transformation Action Plan, and to share experiences on what is working well, where support is needed, and how we can continue moving forward together to achieve our Leaders vision.”
Naguri said Ministers would also discuss artificial intelligence, safer online spaces and ways to better measure regional progress.
“Ministers will also consider important matters such as artificial intelligence, safer online spaces and how we can better track our progress as a region.”
He said the discussions were focused on improving outcomes for Pacific people.
“These are not just policy discussions; they are about people, opportunity, safety, and ensuring that every Pacific community can benefit from a more connected and sustainable future.”
Naguri said he looked forward to the discussions and the guidance Ministers would provide during the meeting.
“I look forward to our discussions and to the guidance that Ministers will provide today as we deliberate on the agenda before us,” he said…. PACNEWS
PAC – ICT MEET: PACNEWS PACNEWS 1: Fri 24 Jul 2026
Pacific ICT Ministers urged to shape region’s digital future on their own terms
PORT MORESBY, 24 JULY 2026 (PACNEWS)— Forum Secretary General, Baron Divavesi Waqa has called on ICT Ministers to provide strong leadership to ensure digital transformation in the Pacific is driven by regional priorities and delivers practical benefits to all communities.
Speaking at the opening of the Forum ICT Ministers Meeting Thursday, Waqa thanked Papua New Guinea for hosting the meeting and congratulated the newly appointed Chair.
“Let me at the outset convey our appreciation to PNG for hosting this important meeting and thank you Chair for availing yourself to Chair our meeting especially as you have just been appointed to your position only last week. Congratulations to you Sir on your appointment and you can be assured of your Secretariat’s full support.”
He also thanked Ministers for convening the meeting and expressed confidence that its outcomes would support the region’s long-term goals.
“In saying that, let me also take this time to thank you Ministers for the opportunity you have provided us to meet today and we trust that the outcomes of your meeting today will help us move closer to achieving our Leaders vision and addressing the needs of our people.”
Waqa said the Pacific’s history of connection should continue to guide the region as technology and digital innovation reshape how people communicate and govern.
“As Pacific peoples, our history is one of connection. Today, as we navigate a new era, shaped by technology and digital innovation, our shared values must continue to guide how we connect, govern and advance opportunities for our communities.”
He said the region’s digital agenda is anchored in the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent and the Lagatoi Declaration.
“This vision is anchored in the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent and the Lagatoi Declaration. Together they call for a resilient, secure and prosperous Pacific where digital transformation reflects our priorities and delivers practical benefits for our people.”
Waqa said Ministers’ leadership would be essential as technological change accelerates.
“As technological change accelerates, Ministers’ guidance and leadership are critical to ensuring the Pacific shapes digital transformation on our own terms, translating regional commitments into secure, inclusive and responsive systems that deliver for all communities, including those most remote.”
He urged Ministers to work together to build a trusted and inclusive digital future for the region.
“I invite you to engage with ambition, openness and a shared spirit of regional cooperation. Your collective guidance will help shape a digital future that is trusted, inclusive and firmly grounded in our Blue Pacific vision,” Waqa said…. PACNEWS
PNG – DIPLOMACY: XINHUA PACNEWS 1: Fri 24 Jul 2026
China willing to see PNG play greater role in international affairs: FM
MANILA, 24 JULY 2026 (XINHUA)—- China attaches great importance to its relationship with Papua New Guinea (PNG), and is willing to see it play a greater role in international affairs, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Wednesday.
Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks during his meeting with PNG’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Justin Tkatchenko in Manila, the Philippines.
Noting this year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, Wang said China is willing to work with PNG to implement the important consensus reached by the two leaders of state to deepen cooperation in various fields and enrich the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.
Wang said China appreciates PNG for closing the Taipei economic office, adding that the decision is another key measure by the PNG government to implement the one-China principle, and will further consolidate the political foundation of the relationship between China and PNG.
It also provides a model for other countries to handle issues related to Taiwan institutions, Wang said.
China’s development of relations with Pacific island countries does not involve geopolitical games or seek a so-called sphere of influence, Wang said, adding that these countries have the right to independently choose their development partners and should not be interfered with by third parties.
Tkatchenko said PNG firmly adheres to the one-China principle, and believes that Taiwan is a part of China, adding that closing the Taipei economic office sent a clear and powerful message of firmly developing its relations with China.
The move is a unanimous decision made by the top leadership of PNG, and the country will ensure its implementation, Tkatchenko noted.
PNG is willing to deepen its cooperation with China on areas such as trade and investment, infrastructure and medical and health care, and strengthen communication and collaboration in APEC and other multilateral platforms….PACNEWS
FIJI – ELECTION APP: FIJI SUN PACNEWS 1: Fri 24 Jul 2026
Fiji Parliament committee rejects move to scrap election app
SUVA, 24 JULY 2026 (FIJI SUN)—A parliamentary committee has rejected the Fijian Elections Office’s (FEO) decision to scrap its Results Mobile App, warning that removing it could fuel speculation and misinformation ahead of the 2026-2027 General Election.
In its Consolidated Review Report of the Electoral Commission’s 2023 and 2024 Annual Reports, tabled in Parliament this month, the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence recommended that the app be retained and strengthened rather than discontinued.
The committee found that confusion on election night in 2022 resulted from human error in manually transferring data, not a fault with the app itself.
“Its removal would create a vacuum that could be filled by speculation and misinformation,” the committee, chaired by Deputy Speaker Lenora Qereqeretabua, stated.
Instead of abandoning the app and reverting to the media centre model used in the 2014 and 2018 elections, the committee recommended the FEO subject it to independent testing, debugging and live-condition simulations, supported by automated validation controls.
Electoral Commission chairman Justice Usaia Ratuvili had earlier told the committee the app was scrapped because it was “not properly tested” before the 2022 General Election, adding that live results would instead be transmitted directly to media organisations.
The recommendation comes as Fiji moves closer to its next General Election.
Under the 2013 Constitution, polling must be held between three years and six months, and four years, from Parliament’s first sitting, placing the election window between August 2026 and February 6, 2027.
Asked whether the next election could be held under a new Constitution, Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka said the Government was focused on the existing constitutional process.
“We just work on the programme that is set before us. According to the constitution, we must have an election within four years of the previous election,” Rabuka said.
The committee’s report also highlighted prolonged governance disruptions within the Electoral Commission during 2023 and 2024….PACNEWS
VAN – RENDER SAFE OPERATION: ADF PACNEWS 1: Fri 24 Jul 2026
Operation Render Safe identifies WWII explosives in Vanuatu, strengthens Pacific security
PORT VILA, 24 JULY 2026 (ADF)—Royal Solomon Islands Police Force Explosive Ordnance Disposal officers and Vanuatu Mobile Force (VMF), assisted by ADF personnel, safely identified a stockpile of World War II-era munitions and other hazardous materials in Vanuatu.
On 17 July, the team catalogued a six-inch naval shell, a hand grenade, a 55mm mortar round and 11 sticks of emulsion explosives located around Cook Barracks in Port Vila.
The multinational contingent visited Vanuatu as part of Operation Render Safe, which identifies and disposes of explosive remnants of war (ERW) across Pacific island countries.
Unexploded ordnance (UXO) remains commonplace in Vanuatu, which hosted hundreds of thousands of Allied personnel during World War II.
VMF Corporal Willie Reuben Siri said a technical reconnaissance was an essential first step before planning the safe disposal of the munitions.
He said the VMF was continuing to develop its explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) capability and that Pacific partners, such as the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force, played an important role in safely identifying and disposing of the legacy of World War II.
“I’ve worked with Australia plenty,” Corporal Siri said.
“But it’s a good opportunity to have the Solomon Islands’ boys here. It’s a good thing that I will learn from them.”
In 2014, Corporal Siri completed a Royal Australian Engineers promotion course at Holsworthy Barracks and is now the VMF’s demolitions subject matter expert.
He said observing the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force and ADF teams reinforced many of the procedures he learned when he qualified in malfunctioned ordnance disposal training in Australia.
He said he was looking forward to the next phase of the operation, when the ordnance could be safely disposed of.
ADF adviser to the VMF Major Zachary Klein said strong relationships with Pacific partners were critical to improving Vanuatu’s EOD capability.
Operation Render Safe enhances regional security by building Pacific partner capability through training, mentoring and sharing explosive ordnance disposal expertise.
“The VMF doesn’t have the capability to conduct explosive ordnance disposal,” Major Klein said.
“Render Safe is one of the vehicles for disposing of explosive remnants of war in Vanuatu.
“It’s great to see that Solomon Islands is keen to establish those relationships and helps out their neighbours as well.”
Operation Render Safe supports Pacific-led security through the safe disposal of explosive remnants of war, while strengthening the security capabilities of Pacific partners through mentoring and training.
The ADF has worked alongside Pacific partners for more than 20 years to build regional collective explosive ordnance disposal capability through Operation Render Safe….PACNEWS
NZ – DIPLOMACY: MFAT PACNEWS 1: Fri 24 Jul 2026
Asia regional meetings conclude amid international turbulence
MANILA, 24 JULY 2026 (MFAT)—Navigating global turbulence and disruption has been a major theme of high-level regional talks in Manila this week, New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters says.
“People all around the world are doing it tough, and our region is facing major security and economic impacts from the currently turbulent global environment,” Peters said.
“In this context, it’s more important than ever that New Zealand works closely with our regional partners,” Mr Peters says.
He attended the annual ASEAN-New Zealand Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, and the East Asia Summit (EAS) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and the ASEAN Regional Forum .
Peters has been involved in Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN)-led regional meetings for over two decades, having attended the inaugural EAS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in December 2005 – and a further ten since, a point celebrated by the region’s Ministers.
“At a time of growing uncertainty, New Zealand’s Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with ASEAN is more important than ever in supporting regional stability, safeguarding global supply chains, and advancing the prosperity and security of our people,” Mr Peters says.
A joint statement released by Ministers following the ASEAN-New Zealand Foreign Ministers’ Meeting emphasised the need to strengthen regional resilience.
“By working together, ASEAN and New Zealand are better placed to respond to change and build a more resilient future”, Mr Peters said.
While in Manila, Peters also announced a new Comprehensive Partnership between Philippines and New Zealand and held a range of bilateral meetings with Foreign Minister counterparts – including Brunei, the European Union, India, Indonesia, Netherlands, Norway, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, the Republic of Korea and Viet Nam.
Peters arrives back in New Zealand Friday…PACNEWS
PACNEWS BIZ
PNG – POWER GRID: THE NATIONAL PACNEWS BIZ: Fri 24 Jul 2026
Independent Power Producers in PNG deny blame for performance
PORT MORESBY, 24 JULY 2026 (THE NATIONAL)—The Independent Power Producers (IPPs) supplying electricity to PNG Power Limited have rejected a statement by State Enterprises Minister William Duma, that they are responsible for PNG Power’s worsening financial performance.
Last week, Duma said that PNG Power had been buying electricity at a higher price and in US dollars from IPPs and reselling it at a lesser price to its customers.
He said the power purchase agreements (PPAs) signed in 2019 were denominated in U.S dollars, exposing PNG Power to foreign exchange risks.
“Every depreciation in the Kina increases the amount that PPL has to pay,” he said.
Duma said the IPPs now supplied just over half of the country’s electricity, at an average purchase cost of about 71 toea (US$0.16) per kilowatt/hour in 2024, and account for more than half of PNG Power’s operating costs.
IPPs chairman David Burbidge said these claims were disappointing and misleading.
“IPPs have invested hundreds of millions of Kina in power generation infrastructure at the request of the Government to help address chronic electricity shortages, improve reliability, and support economic growth,” he said.
“The IPPs have continued supplying electricity under legally-binding agreements, approved by the ICCC, despite experiencing prolonged delays in payment that have placed significant financial pressure on their own businesses.”
Burbidge said the reality was that the IPPs were creditors of PNG Power, and not the cause of its financial difficulties.
“(Its) financial challenges developed over many years and stem from a range of well-documented issues, including tariff freezes for ages, high system losses, poor revenue collection, aging infrastructure, operational inefficiencies and a growing debt burden,” he said.
“These are structural issue that require decisive leadership and reform rather than attempts to shift responsibility onto companies that have continued to honour their contractual obligations.”
Burbidge said the IPPs would request the Minister responsible for PNG Power, Richard Maru, to address the issues mentioned on Monday.
Maru said he was aware of PPLs insolvency issue and will be reviewing the power purchase agreements with the Independent Power Producers (IPPs).
He said: “I will deal with all of the IPPs.
“Why are we paying them capital essential cost?
“We need to get out of this by dealing IPPs because I will not allow IPPs to overcharge.”
Maru noted that PPL has a debt of more than K1.2 billion (US$270 million) and “people owe PPL K400 million (US$90 million)”.
“We have to find a way to pay the debts of the IPPs,” he said……PACNEWS
FIJI – SUGAR INDUSTRY/POLITICS: FIJI TIMES PACNEWS BIZ: Fri 24 Jul 2026
Fiji Fisheries Minister blames Labour Party leader Chaudhry for sugar industry woes
SUVA, 24 JULY 2026 (FIJI TIMES)—Fiji’s Minister for Fisheries and Forestry Alitia Bainivalu has accused former prime minister Mahendra Chaudhry of contributing to Fiji’s current sugar industry challenges by encouraging farmers to delay harvesting at the start of the crushing season.
In a statement posted on social media, the Minister said the Government had guaranteed a minimum cane price of $85(US$42.50) per tonne to encourage farmers to begin harvesting on time and ensure the crushing season started as scheduled.
She claimed many farmers responded to the call, recognising that delays would have consequences for the industry.
“Instead, Mahendra Chaudhry urged farmers to hold back their cane while demanding $110 (US$55) per tonne. That political campaign encouraged delays at a critical time for Fiji’s sugar industry,” she said.
The Minister said the effects of those delays were now being felt across the sector.
“Labour shortages have become more severe, harvesting has fallen behind schedule, concerns over local sugar supplies have grown, and Fiji is now facing the prospect of importing sugar to meet domestic demand,” she said.
Bainivalu warned that importing sugar could result in higher prices for consumers.
“Imported sugar is unlikely to cost the same as locally produced sugar. If prices rise, it will not be politicians who feel the greatest burden. It will be ordinary Fijian families already struggling with the rising cost of living. It will be parents trying to stretch every dollar. It will be small businesses. It will be those who can least afford another increase in household expenses.”
The Minister said those who encouraged farmers to delay harvesting should accept responsibility for the consequences.
“Those who encouraged farmers to delay harvesting cannot now wash their hands of the consequences. If you tell farmers not to harvest and the crushing season falls behind, you must accept responsibility for the impact your words have had.”
She also urged political leaders not to use the sugar industry for political purposes.
“Our sugar industry should never become a political football. It supports thousands of farming families, sustains rural communities and contributes to our national economy. Leadership means putting farmers and the nation first, not chasing political headlines at the expense of ordinary Fijians,” said Bainivalu….PACNEWS
PACNEWS In Focus
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
Vanuatu Won the Legal Argument. Now to Change Climate Finance
By Kanni Wignaraja, UN Assistant Secretary-General and UNDP Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific
Munkhtuya Altangerel, Resident Representative, UNDP Pacific Office in Fiji
BANGKOK/SUVA, 24 JULY 2026 (UNDP)—One year ago today, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled, unanimously, that states have binding legal obligations to protect global climate systems. It found that a state’s failure to act, including through fossil fuel production, consumption, new exploration licences, or continued subsidies, may constitute an internationally wrongful act attributable to that state.
It was the outcome of a campaign Vanuatu led from the front, starting with a group of law students at the University of the South Pacific and ending in a unanimous opinion from 15 judges at The Hague.
In May 2026, the UN General Assembly went further, adopting a resolution led by Vanuatu that gave the Court’s legal opinion political weight. By any measure, this is one of the most significant diplomatic wins the Pacific has ever delivered for itself and for the world.
However, this global win does not rebuild or restore a damaged water system. The political go-ahead does not bring electricity to an isolated island community or help farmers recover crops lost to saltwater intrusion. The legal opinion does not reinforce coastlines against the next storm or support communities facing repeated landslides and floods.
An advisory opinion, however unanimous, even with endorsement by the General Assembly, is a statement of intent of what the law requires. It is not the finance, the engineering nor the logistics needed to act on that law. This is what is needed to move an international commitment into practical applications that change lives.
Vanuatu and the wider Pacific have carried the hard part of winning this fight in court: proving the moral case for decades and now proving the legal case as well. What remains unproven is whether the states most responsible for the current climate crisis will treat a confirmed legal obligation any differently than before.
The Pacific-hosted pre-COP this October will be an important opportunity to explore how legal clarity can translate into practical action and finance. The Pacific Resilience Facility (PRF) is a test case readily available. It is a Pacific-designed, Pacific-led financing mechanism built to directly move climate finance to the communities that need it, on terms that make sense for small island economies.
The PRF is designed to respond to a long-standing challenge: many Pacific Island Countries are classified as middle-income countries (MICs) and, therefore, struggle to access the concessional finance available to poorer countries, despite facing some of the world’s greatest climate risks. Faced by this MIC conundrum, the Facility is built around vulnerability measures and not only income levels.
The legal architecture the ICJ has confirmed says that finance, technology, and cooperation are not generous ‘extras’, but are legal obligations. The PRF is where those obligations are tested in practice: pledges made at the pre-COP will demonstrate, in concrete terms, whether the response to the ICJ opinion will be converted to meaningful action or remain aspirational.
There is a version of the next 12 months’ narrative where the Advisory Opinion becomes a genuine turning point: cited in negotiating rooms, referenced in finance decisions, used by Pacific states and their allies to hold large emitters to standards no longer disputable. There is another version where it becomes what too many previous diplomatic wins have become, a landmark statement that changes the conversation without changing how finance flows.
This is also where the Pacific countries’ energy transitions come into play. The Court was clear that continued fossil fuel dependence, including through exploration licenses and sustained subsidies, sits within the range of state conduct that the legal opinion addresses. For the Pacific, that finding strengthens the legal and financial case for the region’s own shift to locally generated renewable energy. And this is precisely the kind of transition the PRF and the climate negotiations are designed to drive. The obligation the Court confirmed is not only about what major emitters must stop doing. It is also about what they must now finance others to do as well.
Vanuatu did not ask the international community for sympathy. It asked the world’s highest court for a ruling, and it got one that leaves very little room for ambiguity. The Pacific has done its part. The Pre-COP in Fiji and Tuvalu, and COP31 in Türkiye, are where we must move from legal clarity to directing climate finance to follow…..PACNEWS
PACNEWS DIGEST
The views expressed in PACNEWS are those of agencies contributing articles and do not necessarily those of PINA and/or PACNEWS
Niue cuts diesel use by 1.2 million litres a year with Sunergise
ALOFI, 24 JULY 2026 (SUNERGISE)—Niue’s reliance on diesel generators has significantly reduced from 24/7 operation to just 2-3 hours a day thanks to a new solar and battery system officially opened today, supported by the New Zealand Government and installed by Sunergise.
The 2.79 MWp solar and 8.19 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) forms a central pillar of the country’s goal of generating 80 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030 and is now slashing around NZD$4,000,000(US$230,308,608) per year in diesel costs, directly strengthening Niue’s economic resiliency and development.
Diesel Dependency Is a Pacific-Wide Vulnerability
Like most remote atoll nations, Niue has relied almost entirely on costly fuel deliveries. Diesel that must be shipped in is vulnerable to global price swings and supply chain disruptions that can trigger fuel-related blackouts and leave entire communities without power.
The renewable energy project directly addresses that risk, marking a major step toward Niue’s energy resilience and giving the island’s approximately 1,800 residents one of the biggest solar capacities per capita in the Pacific.
Proving What’s Possible on Remote Islands
Building solar infrastructure on a coral atoll is nothing like building it on the mainland, like in New Zealand. Niue’s uneven, rock-hard terrain required extensive preparation before a single foundation could be poured. With challenging ground conditions on-site, structures were anchored using locally sourced concrete and engineered to withstand cyclone-force winds. The project, built beside Niue International Airport, took over a year to complete, reflecting the complexity of delivering utility-scale renewable infrastructure in one of the world’s most remote locations.
Sunergise CEO Paul Makumbe says the project highlights a wider shift taking place across the region: “Every Pacific Island faces its own version of this challenge with geographic remoteness, outsized exposure to climate risk and complex solar installation conditions. What we’ve proven in Niue is that these barriers aren’t a reason to wait. Renewable energy expansion across Pacific nations is possible and can be accelerated.”
“I’m proud of the work the team has put into completing this outstanding project, with our excellent site supervisor, Will, working closely with the local community throughout, sharing skills, and enhancing local capability along the way”, Paul adds.
A Small Nation, an Outsised result
The completed system, featuring 4,536 JA Solar panels and an 8.19 MWh Sungrow storage battery, will generate 5,186 MWh of clean electricity annually while offsetting 407,992 kg of CO₂ every year. The system fully integrates with the grid and existing BESS units on the island.
For a small nation of approximately 1,800 people, every litre of diesel no longer imported strengthens the country’s ability to reinvest in healthcare, education, and community wellbeing.
A Partnership for Pacific’s Energy Future
The project was delivered in partnership with the Government of Niue and the New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT).
On 23 July 2026, the system was officially handed over to the Government of Niue in a ceremonial opening event, marking a significant milestone in Niue’s journey towards renewable energy.
The Sunergise Group – comprising Sunergise, PowerSmart and Clay Energy – is the largest operator of privately owned solar assets in New Zealand and the Pacific. Founded in 2012, Sunergise has installed over 50 MWp of solar capacity across the region, completing more than 200 commercial projects including solar farms in Tonga (6.9 MWp) and Taveuni, Fiji (1.0 MWp)….PACNEWS
Media Contact: Katja Grathwohl, Marketing Specialist | katja.grathwohl@sunergise.nz | +64 27 334 3050
