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The Government of the Republic of Vanuatu invites you to join a closed-door discussion on the request for an Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice on the obligations of states to  protect  the  rights  of  current  and  future  generations  against  the  adverse  effects  of Climate Change. This closed-door discussion will be co-hosted with the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law and the Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment.Date: 26 September 2019Time: 12:30pm to 2:45pm (light lunch provided)Venue: Conference Room of Commonwealth Joint Offices 685 Third Avenue, (entrance at 44th street), NY 10017 For many years, the Member Governments of the Pacific  Islands have expressed grave concern over  the  vulnerability  their  nations  suffer  in  the  face of  devastating  effects  from Climate Change.In  December  2018, at the 24th Conference  of  the  Parties  to  the  United  Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Vanuatu hosted an event with Pacific delegations to explore the legal avenues to address Climate Change. This year, the Member Governments at the August 2019 Pacific Islands Forum Leaders meeting recognized the need to formally secure the future of their people in the face of Climate Change and its impacts, and noted the proposal for a UN General Assembly Resolution seeking an Advisory Opinion from the International Court of Justice  on  the  obligations  of States under  international  law  to  protect  the  rights  of  present  and future generations against the adverse effects of Climate Change.The aim of this closed-door workshop is to convene high-level state representatives, legal scholars, and civil society leaders to discuss and strategize on the request to the UN General Assembly.Agenda