UN backs stronger climate action despite US push to block resolution

The UN General Assembly overwhelmingly voted on Wednesday to back stronger global action against climate change, despite recent efforts by the United States to halt the measure.

The 193-member body approved a nonbinding resolution supporting last July’s advisory opinion from the UN’s top court, which stated that countries failing to protect the planet from climate change could be violating international law. The resolution passed with 141 votes in favour, eight against and 28 abstentions.

The measure calls on countries to adopt climate action plans aimed at limiting global warming to below 1.5 degrees Celsius, phase out subsidies for fossil fuel exploration and production, and urges nations found responsible for climate-related harm to provide “full reparation” for damages.

Stronger wording from the International Court of Justice’s original opinion — including a proposal for an “International Register of Damage” to document evidence and claims — was dropped after multiple rounds of negotiations to secure broader support.

The vote came despite reports that the US had lobbied countries earlier this year to persuade Vanuatu, the resolution’s original sponsor, to withdraw the proposal. The US State Department had argued that the measure could negatively impact American industry and raised legal concerns.

Deputy US ambassador to the UN Tammy Bruce criticised the resolution ahead of the vote, calling it “highly problematic” and objecting to provisions relating to fossil fuels and broader climate policies.

Representatives from Vanuatu and other vulnerable island nations argued that support for the court’s opinion was crucial, given the severe impact climate change is already having on their countries.

“We should be honest with one another about why this matters,” Vanuatu’s UN ambassador Odo Tevi said. “It matters because the harm is real and it is already here.”

Pacific island nations have long warned of the growing existential threat posed by rising sea levels. In Tuvalu, where the average elevation is only about two metres above sea level, more than a third of residents have sought climate migration visas to Australia. In Nauru, authorities have begun selling passports to wealthy foreigners as part of efforts to raise funds for potential future relocation measures.