The People's Assembly

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The People's Assembly 𖦹

A Gathering for Justice

Spearheaded by the Future Generations Tribunal (FGT), in collaboration with Pacific Island Students Fighting Climate Change (PISFCC) and World Youth for Climate Justice (WYCJ), the People’s Assembly was held from December 3–5, 2024 at the T.M.C. Asser Institute. This historic gathering created a platform for individuals and communities most impacted by the climate crisis to share their lived realities and make their voices heard in the ongoing International Court of Justice (ICJ) climate advisory proceedings.

Since 2019, PISFCC has worked relentlessly to elevate urgent legal issues to the ICJ, fighting for the survival and dignity of present and future generations. The People’s Assembly continues this mission by amplifying public engagement and frontline voices, ensuring that the ICJ’s advisory opinion reflects the realities of those disproportionately affected by the climate crisis.

The ICJ now faces a pivotal moment: Will global law become a force for safeguarding the foundations of human society, or will it enable the gradual erasure of entire cultures, communities, and perspectives? The People’s Assembly was convened to remind decision-makers that justice must align with the will of the people, ensuring that human rights and intergenerational equity remain central to global climate governance.

What the People’s Assembly Achieved

The People’s Assembly was designed to complement the ICJ advisory proceedings by:

  • Elevating Frontline Voices: Showcasing testimonies from communities disproportionately affected by climate change.

  • Building Solidarity: Creating a global network of support among affected communities.

  • Documenting Evidence: Collecting and organizing testimonies into a comprehensive Outcome Database.

  • Empowering Participants: Equipping individuals with the tools and knowledge needed to advocate for justice.

The insights and stories shared during the People’s Assembly were synthesized into the People’s Petition, a powerful outcomes document that was read during the ICJ oral proceedings on the final day. This petition presents the demands, testimonies, and perspectives of frontline communities, ensuring that civil society's voice is heard in the Court’s deliberations.

Special Thanks to Our partners Who helped make it possible

The foundation of the People's Assembly lies in the diverse narratives of witnesses from different walks of life, brought together to share first-hand accounts of their lived climate change experiences.

The participants of the People’s Assembly were called upon to shoulder the narrative of the experiences of their respective communities with the climate crisis. Certain participants have requested to be quoted anonymously due to concerns of criminalisation, retaliation and repression. Despite several difficulties, all have surmounted tremendous hardship to deliver their testimonies. We are eternally grateful to each and every single one of the participants for sharing their stories and ongoing resilience with us in order to build strong alliances and solidarities across the world.

We had representants from the following territories and communities:

Vanuatu

Kiribati

Cabo Verde

Tuvalu

Ecuador

India

Suriname

Republic of Sudan

Honduras

Pakistan

Colombia

Greenland/Denmark

Mozambique

Alaska

Aruba

West Papua

Libya

Vanuatu Kiribati Cabo Verde Tuvalu Ecuador India Suriname Republic of Sudan Honduras Pakistan Colombia Greenland/Denmark Mozambique Alaska Aruba West Papua Libya

We keep in our hearts and minds the persons and communities that ultimately could not attend the People’s Assembly due to various constraints. We acknowledge their work for climate justice and stand in solidarity with their resistance.

They are from:

  • Aotearoa/New Zealand

  • the Gullah/Geechee communities

  • Palestine

  • Lebanon

  • Tajikistan

  • Bangladesh

  • the Sámi communities, and;

  • the Brazilian Amazon.

Witness Case Studies