Pirate's Cove

They been pushing this for at least 15 years, and keep pushing it. I wonder how much money it has cost that could have been put into protecting the nation. It’s not like they live on a coral atoll/volcanic islands (it’s in the Ring Of Fire) and are polluting their water supply

The tiny Pacific nation of Vanuatu turns to the world court as climate disasters mount

When John Warmington first began diving the reefs outside his home in Vanuatu’s Havannah Harbor a decade ago, the coral rose like a sunken forest — tall stands of staghorns branched into yellow antlers, plate corals layered like canopies, and clouds of darting fish wove through the labyrinth.

“We used to know every inch of that reef,” he said. “It was like a friend.”

Now, it’s unrecognizable. After Cyclone Pam battered the reef in 2015, sediment from inland rivers smothered the coral beds. Crown-of-thorns starfish swept in and devoured the recovering polyps. Back-to-back cyclones in 2023 crushed what was left. Then, in December 2024, a 7.3 magnitude earthquake shook the seabed.

That heartbreak is becoming more common across this Pacific island nation, where intensifying cyclones, rising seas and saltwater intrusion are reshaping coastlines and threatening daily life. Since 1993, sea levels around Vanuatu’s shores have risen by about 6 millimeters (.24 inches) per year — significantly faster than the global average — and in some areas, tectonic activity has doubled that rate.

And where is that data coming from? I cannot find it anywhere. Regardless, sea rise happens. If they’re so worried then why do they have 30 airports (most are unpaved)?

On Wednesday, Vanuatu will get its day in the world’s highest court. The International Court of Justice will issue an advisory opinion on what legal obligations nations have to address climate change and what consequences they may face if they don’t. The case, led by Vanuatu and backed by more than 130 countries, is seen as a potential turning point in international climate law.

“Seeing large, polluting countries just continue business as usual and not take the climate crisis seriously can get really sad and disappointing,” said 16-year-old climate activist Vepaiamele Trief. “If they rule in our favor, that could change everything.”

30 airports. Anyhow, good luck. You live in an area that has always been prone to tropical storms.

Vanuatu has already sought opinions from other international courts and is pushing for the recognition of ecocide — the destruction of the environment — as a crime under the International Criminal Court. “We have to keep fighting till the last bit,” Regenvanu said.

But, what they really want is string free climate cash. Lots of it.