UN General Assembly adopts landmark resolution on states' climate obligations

On 20‑21 May 2026 the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution backing the International Court of Justice’s July 2025 advisory opinion that states have legal duties to protect the climate system. The vote recorded 141 in favour, 28 abstentions and eight against.

The resolution, led by Vanuatu and 12 other countries, calls on governments to align policies with their obligations, including deep emissions cuts, regulation of fossil‑fuel firms and safeguarding the right to a healthy environment. It requests the Secretary‑General to report in 2027 on ways to advance compliance, reinforcing the court’s findings in international negotiations, national legislation and climate litigation.

Australia voted in favour but did not co‑sponsor, while the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) welcomed the outcome, noting its participation in the ICJ proceedings and urging rapid, ambitious action. Pacific leader Shiva Gounden of Greenpeace highlighted the Pacific’s role in shaping the agenda, calling for a fast, fair and funded phase‑out of fossil fuels.