Dame Meg Taylor joins Blue Ocean Law to support Vanuatu’s pursuit of an advisory opinion on climate change from International Court of Justice
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Contact: Julian Aguon at julian@blueoceanlaw.com
Margaretha Wewerinke-Singh at margaretha@blueoceanlaw.com
Dame Meg Taylor joins Blue Ocean Law to support Vanuatu’s pursuit of an advisory opinion on climate change from International Court of Justice
Blue Ocean Law is delighted to announce that Dame Meg Taylor, former Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum, has joined our team as a Senior Diplomatic Advisor on the Republic of Vanuatu’s initiative to request an advisory opinion on climate change from the International Court of Justice. Dame Meg will provide expertise to the BOL team on the diplomatic campaign at the United Nations, focusing on the perspectives of Pacific Island peoples.
Dame Meg brings to the team decades of experience as a high-ranking diplomat and lawyer, and an impressive record of national, regional, and international public service. She holds an LL.B degree from Melbourne University, and an LL.M degree from Harvard University. A national of Papua New Guinea, Dame Meg began her professional life working under Prime Minister Michael Somare. She has also practiced law in the Office of the Public Solicitor, worked in the private sector, and served as a member of the Law Reform Commission.
Dame Meg served as the Ambassador of Papua New Guinea to the United States, Mexico and Canada from 1989-1994, and as founding Vice President, Office of the Compliance Advisor Ombudsman for IFC/MIGA of the World Bank Group from 1999-2014. In 2014, Dame Meg was appointed Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum, the first woman to ever hold this post. In January 2016, the UN Secretary General of the United Nations appointed Dame Meg to the High Level Steering Committee on Every Woman Every Child.
As a former Pacific Ocean Commissioner, Dame Meg advocated for the secure future of Pacific peoples based on the sustainable development, management and conservation of the Ocean and its resources. She is currently a member of the Pacific Elders’ Voice, an independent group of prominent leaders dedicated to navigating the region’s current and future challenges and opportunities. Her insights into the impacts of the climate crisis on Pacific Island Countries and deep diplomatic experience will be invaluable as Vanuatu’s initiative advances.
About Blue Ocean Law
Blue Ocean Law is an international law firm based in Guam specializing in human rights, self- determination, and environmental justice. It adopts a holistic approach to the practice of law combined with a grassroots orientation that privileges marginalized voices. The firm’s practice focuses on issues of pressing concern to Pacific peoples, such as political and economic self- determination, redress for victims of nuclear testing and non-consensual medical experimentation, accountability for anthropogenic climate change, and recognition of the rights of Indigenous peoples. For more information, visit www.blueoceanlaw.com