Word that VOA Island Nation's Worldwide Courtroom of Justice lawsuit over sea degree rise is pointless and toothless – do you agree?
In the article “Big polluters and small island nations clash over climate change,” the Voice of America (VOA) claims that climate change due to sea level rise is threatening the survival of Pacific island nations and that they are seeking compensation from other countries that do so Countries like the United States are considered the main cause of climate change. This claim is false and lacks any scientific support. The data refutes all claims by island nations that they are losing land to rising sea levels
VOA notes:
Nearly 100 countries and more than a dozen intergovernmental organizations will testify in a two-week trial that began Monday and ends Dec. 13. The justices are expected to issue their legal opinion sometime next year.
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The judges' opinion is advisory in nature and is not legally binding.
Recent proceedings at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) have brought to the fore claims by small island states that sea level rise caused by climate change threatens their existence. These nations are trying to hold the biggest polluters legally accountable for the alleged damage. However, a closer examination of the scientific evidence and observable realities calls into question the basis of these claims.
Many Pacific islands are atolls – ring-shaped coral reefs surrounding lagoons. Contrary to the narrative of inevitable submersion, atolls have demonstrated a remarkable ability to adapt to changing sea levels. Research shows that these landforms can grow and adapt in response to environmental changes. A study published in Nature Communications found that 88.6% of Tuvalu's islands remained stable or increased in size despite rising sea levels in recent decades.
The New York Times (NYT) recently published an article titled “A Surprising Climate Finding” explaining that island nations such as Kiribati, the Maldives, the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu and Vanuatu are actually not in danger of sinking due to the seas climate change. That's true; a fact that climate realism has repeatedly discussed. Atolls in particular are known to grow as water levels rise, and this has been known for years, if not decades.
“Climate at a Glance: Islands and Sea Level Rise” also confirms the fact that Tuvalu in particular, often a poster child for islands said to be at risk from sea level rise, “eight of Tuvalu’s nine major coral atolls have grown in size in recent decades are. and 75 percent of Tuvalu's 101 smaller reef islands have also increased.” This expansion is due to natural processes in which coral debris and sediment accumulate, allowing the atolls to preserve their landmass. Put simply, the claim that these islands will inevitably sink lacks any scientific support.
Another argument raised before the court is the concept of “climate refugees” from sinking islands, which is often cited in discussions about the effects of climate change. However, remarkably, there are no documented cases of populations being displaced solely due to sea level rise. For example, despite concerns, the population of Tuvalu has not been forced to evacuate en masse; in fact, the population of Tuvalu and other similarly located island states has grown. When migration does occur from these islands, it is driven by economic opportunities rather than environmental factors.
Contrary to the portrayal of Pacific island nations on the verge of disappearance, many are actively investing in infrastructure to boost tourism – a sector that is incompatible with the idea of impending doom. Fiji, for example, experienced a boom in tourism, leading to the development of new resorts and the expansion of existing resorts. InterContinental Hotels Group is expanding its presence in Fiji with new projects in areas such as Nadi, the Islands and Suva.
Similarly, other Pacific nations such as Kiribati are improving their tourism infrastructure, for example by building hotels and improving airports, showing their confidence in their long-term viability. This trend suggests that these countries do not see an existential threat from sea level rise, as such investments would be unwise if flooding from sea level rise is imminent.
The push to hold so-called polluters legally responsible for the alleged impacts of climate change on small island states is legally untenable. Climate change will not harm the islands, a necessary part of any legal claim. Furthermore, during hearings at the International Court of Justice, the United States argued that international human rights law neither requires states to reduce greenhouse gas emissions nor provides for a human right to a healthy environment. This stance highlights the challenge of attributing specific environmental changes to the actions of individual nations, given the complex nature of climate dynamics.
Small island nations' concerns about climate change appear to be more about extracting money from wealthier nations, as the science suggests that many Pacific atolls are not only surviving, but adapting and growing. The lack of climate refugees and the active expansion of the tourism infrastructure further question the narrative of an impending existential threat. Therefore, the basis for legal action against developed countries appears to be tenuous, as the alleged harms lack a clear and direct causal link to their actions.
Given these facts, it appears that the lawsuits being brought amount to little more than a legal smash-up, using the alarmist narrative about sea level rise caused by climate change to win a case that, in reality, is neither has a factual or legal basis. Even if the case were to be decided in favor of the island nations, they have no way of enforcing the “advisory” decision against other nations, essentially rendering the outcome toothless.
Anthony Watts
Anthony Watts is a senior fellow in environment and climate at the Heartland Institute. Watts has been in the weather business both in front of and behind the camera as an on-air meteorologist since 1978 and currently makes daily radio forecasts. He has developed weather graphics presentation systems for television and specialized weather instruments and is a co-author of peer-reviewed articles on climate issues. He runs the most viewed climate website in the world, the award-winning website wattsupwiththat.com.
Originally posted on ClimateREALISM
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