Madeleine Lavemai – Tongatapu, Tonga

A tale of small nations with significant impacts

Madeleine Lavemai, a 26-year-old Tongan woman, is among the group of Pacific Island students from The University of the South Pacific (USP) that started the Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change (PISFCC), a global climate change movement seeking an advisory opinion from the world’s largest court, the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

As the middle child of five, Madeleine never envisioned her deep commitment to safeguarding her island from rising sea levels and other climate crises, which would transform her into influencing change in Tonga.

Growing up in Tonga, Madeleine’s childhood was filled with joy, love, and the inspiration of strong female figures in her family.

“My grandmother, a high school librarian, introduced me to a world of books which helped me develop my imagination and love for reading,” she recalls.

“Often, as a child, we’d create scenarios in our heads of how we see ourselves in the future and act out those roles. I’ve always wanted to be a doctor, so I’d act the part, and we just had fun with it.”

Madeleine was surrounded by people who loved education, and inspired by them, she enjoyed her early education journey at a local primary school, Tonga Side School, where she formed new friendships that are part of her network today.

“Primary school was very competitive as we were always eager to see who scored the highest marks in different subjects. This healthy competition pushed me to do better and excel in my early education.”

It wasn’t until she joined high school that she pivoted from her dream of becoming a doctor “because I wasn’t very good in science subjects” and chose accounting, economics, history and Japanese as her subject speciality.

“I developed a keen interest in history because it shapes the present we’re living in and helps us make informed decisions moving forward.”

“I spent much time with my maternal grandfather from childhood to high school. He was a history teacher and the principle of St. Andrews High School from 1983-86. Our conversations would be filled with him telling me different stories of Tonga’s history and it greatly influenced my interest in the subject. He also loved to write and had a few articles on Tonga’s history which is a skill I feel I inherited from him.”

Nearing the end of her high school journey, Madeleine knew she wanted to pursue higher education at USP and follow in the footsteps of her older sister, father and maternal grandfather, who all attended the region’s premier institution.

“My father, may he rest in peace, has always pushed me to do better in life, and taught me the importance of trusting in God’s plans. He completed his Bachelor of Commerce and Master of Business Administration at USP and often told me about his unique university experience.”

“My decision to choose USP was reinforced after my older sister joined the institution, where she studied a Bachelor of Commerce (BCom). She’d come home and share stories about the different learning modes and how it is an institution that brings Pacific Islanders of varying backgrounds together.”

In 2016, Madeleine joined USP to pursue her Bachelor of Law, a choice sparked by her interest in politics, leadership, government system and current affairs.

“I started with USP at the Tonga Campus, and most of my learning happened online. The units I registered for weren’t available for face-to-face classes at our campus.”

“The online learning mode was entirely new to me as I was only used to teachers showing up to class for their subjects in high school. However, I enjoyed online learning because it pushed me to learn independently and think outside the box.”

Later in the same year, she secured a full scholarship from the Government of Tonga to pursue her studies at the Emalus Campus in Vanuatu beginning in 2017.

“Moving from home to Vanuatu was a whole new experience for me. I had never been away from home for longer periods, let alone being in a different country altogether.”

Learning from the experiences of her older sister, father and grandfather, who all studied at USP, she decided to make new friends and explore the diversity of the regional institution.

“The friendships forged at the Emalus Campus are something I will cherish for the rest of my life. Sometimes, I missed home so much and felt homesick, but my friends would instantly lift my mood simply by doing what Pacific Islanders do: we talanoa, joke and have a good time, and we studied hard too.”

“Throughout my four years of studies, I witnessed what my grandfather, father and older sister had always discussed. Pacific Islanders are indeed a close-knit community, and I am grateful that USP recognised this and continues to promote and embrace our cultural diversity.”

During her  final year of  study at Emalus Campus, Madeleine and her classmates for the International Environmental Law course considered how international law can be utilised as an avenue to clarify existing gaps in the climate change framework and to lobby and advocate for climate justice.

“We’ve heard about the climate crisis, and we wondered whether legal clarity will further amplify the voices of small island developing States such as the Pacific region in the fight against climate change.

Following our discussions in the classroom, Solomon Yeo, who was PISFCC’s first President and a passionate campaigner for the initiative, reached out to me and a few of my classmates to discuss the establishment of an organisation that would campaign for an advisory opinion on climate change and human rights from the International Court of Justice.”

Following these discussions, PISFCC was founded by 26 law students, including Solomon and myself, who were eager to see the initiative turn into fruition.

“We were passionate about taking our movement to the regional and global stage and lobbying for climate justice.”

“The first task for the organisation was lobbying for support of the initiative from our own respective countries, the Pacific region and other countries. This was vital to ensuring that when the United Nations General Assembly voted on the request for an advisory opinion, there would be widespread support.”

In 2019, Madeleine and Solomon represented the PISFCC team at the United Nation’s Climate Summit in New York, United States of America, a convergence point of global leaders, youth climate activists, non-governmental organisations and those passionate about advocating climate justice.

“Standing in the room full of people from various backgrounds, some you’ve only read about, others you see on Television, amongst leaders from around the world, we were determined to make our presence felt and our voice heard.”

After the UN Climate Summit, the PISFCC team returned home but the groundwork continued. Madeleine graduated in 2019 with her Bachelor of Law (LLB) and began working at the Attorney General’s Office in Tonga in 2020 as an assistant crown counsel under the Legal Advice and International Law Division.Madeleine shared that although she was working, she continued to be involved in PISFCC’s local Tonga Chapter and utilised the knowledge she had obtained from USP to assist in the work of the Tonga Chapter.

In March 2023, Madeleine had just returned to work after the birth of her daughter. She was in Tonga when she received news that the UNGA adopted the resolution by consensus.

“I was in Tonga when I received news that the UNGA Resolution was adopted.  I remember feeling overwhelmed and emotional because the years of hard work by the team and countless discussions and meetings have paid off.”

“The movement has been ongoing since 2019. It was a proud moment for us all, particularly because we were Pacific Island students, and we were educated at USP. ”

“I reflected on the scale of impact the movement made and it only further exposed the recognition of small island countries bound together as a large ocean state and solidifies our aspirations for climate justice.”

From the UNGA Resolution, the request was sent to the ICJ to commence the process of issuing an advisory opinion.

Madeleine continued contributing to the initiative through her work at the AGO, where she contributed to drafting Tonga’s first written submission to the ICJ on “States obligations in respect of climate change.”

“I am grateful for the opportunities to contribute to the initiative, in my own little way. When Tonga’s written submission was approved for filing, I felt a different sense of happiness. In particular, I thought of my daughter and how PISFCC’s campaign advocates heavily for the rights of present and future generations. The work we do now is the blueprint for our children and grandchildren.”

Though not legally binding, the ICJ advisory opinion can be used as a catalyst for climate justice, further amplifying the Pacific’s voice and a tool to accelerate needful action per the Paris Agreement to maintain global warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius.

“It gathered so much support from civil society organisations, governments, researchers and scholars in the Pacific and worldwide. It demonstrates the potential of young people and their wealth of knowledge. They can bring about real and meaningful change if given a chance.”

The ICJ advisory opinion holds a much deeper meaning for Madeleine as it reminds her of her father’s continuous support throughout her life and a proud moment for him, having watched his daughter on television as she made waves in New York.

“When I got home after the UN Climate Summit, my father called me and said that he had recorded my interview that he watched on television, beaming with pride. I can only imagine how he would’ve reacted when the news of the ICJ advisory opinion came out. I’m sure he would’ve posted about it on social media and told everyone about it.”

The support of her father and grandfather left an indelible mark on Madeleine, one she has learned to cherish every day despite their passing.

“My father was one of my strongest supporters. I believe he would have checked on me every day while I was travelling to file Tonga’s submission to ICJ.”

Reflecting on this successful endeavour, Madeleine emphasised the need for climate discussions to be encouraged in school to create awareness.

“You don’t often talk much about climate change or delve deeper into its various aspects in school. I think it is important that our educational institutions consider climate change education as part of a holistic approach in our work towards climate justice.”

Now that the initiative is in motion, the PISFCC continues to push for high-carbon-emitting countries to be accountable for their actions, the implications of island nations, and the protection of resources which are vital to the Blue Pacific Continent.

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