Human rights lawyer and University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa William S. Richardson School of Law alumnus Julian Aguon is one of four changemakers around the world who have won the Swedish Right Livelihood Foundation’s annual award in 2025.
“I am deeply honored to accept this award on behalf of my entire team at Blue Ocean Law,” said Aguon. “I could not have done this work without each and every one of them, starting with my erudite co-lead, Margaretha Wewerinke-Singh, and the incredible team we assembled to take on this case.”
‘Carrying the call for climate justice to the world’s highest court’
The Right Livelihood Foundation cited Aguon for “carrying the call for climate justice to the world’s highest court.” Aguon, together with the Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change, was selected by an international jury for their collective efforts to secure a unanimous advisory opinion on climate change from the International Court of Justice.
The opinion, delivered in July 2025, found that countries have binding obligations under international law to protect the climate system for present and future generations. In its historic decision, the Court recognized the human right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, declaring it essential to the realization of all other rights.
In Aguon’s case, the jury also recognized his longstanding advocacy on behalf of the Chamorro people of Guam, who continue to struggle under U.S. colonization.
“I proudly accept this award on behalf of my people, the Chamorro people, and indeed all of us in Micronesia, who continue to resist the militarization of our homelands, who continue to insist upon our right to live in the world on our own terms and our children’s right to do the same.”
Established in 1980 to “honour and support courageous people solving global problems,” the Right Livelihood Award has become widely known as the ‘Alternative Nobel Prize.’ Past winners from the U.S. include civil rights lawyer Bryan Stevenson, award-winning journalist Amy Goodman, and famed whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg. There are now 203 Laureates from more than 80 countries.
