UN experts urged Member States on Thursday supported the General Assembly Resolution (UNGA) for approval Appraise The order, issued by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) last year, requires states to comply with their legal obligations to curb climate change. The statement comes amid concerns about attempts to hamper discussion of the proposal.
The experts stressed the urgent need to support the draft resolution of the United Nations General Assembly and referred to the studies indicate that the 1.5°C limit for global temperature rise could be exceeded by 2029. The risk is exacerbated by recurring climate-related disasters, including cyclones, hurricanes and floods, affecting multiple regions worldwide. The experts emphasized that the resolution is based on the International Court of Justice’s opinion, which itself is based on internationally binding legal sources and aims to prevent further climate damage and impacts of climate change on societies and human lives.
In addition, they emphasized that the draft resolution would provide States with a collaborative approach to enable them to fulfill their obligations accordingly the Paris AgreementIn particular, this involves limiting global warming to well below 1.5 °C, peaking greenhouse gas emissions, improving adaptation to climate change and mobilizing climate finance. They added that the resolution would complement that Paris Agreement Loss and Damage FundThis is a special fund established to help vulnerable developing countries cover the costs of destruction caused by climate-related disasters.
However, the experts expressed concerns about attempts to block the adoption of the resolution and stressed that countries should see it as an opportunity for international cooperation to address the climate crisis. Ultimately, they concluded that the UNGA resolution would pave the way for multilateral action on protection Right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environmentin order to ensure peace and the enjoyment of all human rights for present and future generations.
The government of Vanuatu introduced this UNGA draft resolution in February 2026 to confirm the International Court of Justice’s advisory opinion on the obligations of states in relation to climate change. It is currently being negotiated and proposes several measures, including adopting nationally determined contributions to atmospheric carbon levels in line with the Paris Agreement, phasing out fossil fuels and establishing a record of losses and damages related to climate change. This final measure represents a significant opportunity for affected countries to seek compensation for environmental damage, particularly for developing countries home to indigenous communities most affected by the impacts of climate change.
The UNGA resolution comes amid a global rollback of states’ commitments to prevent environmental damage, including the European Union’s Omnibus I package, which removes companies’ obligations to comply with environmental and human rights due diligence, and the US withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement. Meanwhile, the impacts of climate change continue to worsen for the countries that contribute the least. Earlier this month, Amnesty International warned of increasing global inequalities in climate responsibility after Mozambique was hit by repeated climate disasters that displaced thousands of people and destroyed infrastructure.
