The United Nations General Assembly has voted 141-8 to adopt a resolution backing an that countries have a legal obligation to address climate change. The United States, the world’s biggest historical emitter, was among the small group of countries that opposed the resolution.
The resolution, drafted by Vanuatu, a Pacific island nation on the frontline of the climate crisis, along with several other countries, was adopted after intense discussions and multiple proposed amendments. It received 141 votes in favour, eight against and 28 abstentions.
Countries that voted against the resolution were Belarus, Iran, Israel, Liberia, Russia, Saudi Arabia, the United States and Yemen. India, Turkey, Qatar and Nigeria were among the countries that abstained, while Australia, Germany, France and the United Kingdom voted in favour.
The vote followed up on the ICJ’s landmark advisory opinion issued in July 2025, in which the UN’s principal judicial body ruled that states have an obligation to protect the environment from greenhouse gas emissions. Although the opinion is not legally binding, it has already begun influencing climate litigation around the world, with judges referencing it in climate-related rulings.
UN General Assembly ADOPTS resolution welcoming the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice on the obligations of States in respect of climate change
RESULT
In favor: 141
Against: 8
Abstain: 28
— UN News (@UN_News_Centre)
Wednesday’s adoption by the General Assembly sent a strong message that tackling climate change is a legal responsibility under international law and not merely a political choice. UN Secretary-General António Guterres welcomed the move, saying: “The world’s highest court has spoken. Today, the General Assembly has answered.”
In a post on X, Guterres said the vote underscored that governments are responsible for protecting citizens from the “escalating climate crisis”. He described the resolution as “a powerful affirmation of international law, climate justice, science and the responsibility of states to protect people from the escalating climate crisis.”
I welcome the adoption of the General Assembly resolution on the ‘s advisory opinion on climate change – a powerful affirmation of international law, climate justice, science & the responsibility of states to protect people from the escalating climate crisis.
Those least…
— António Guterres (@antonioguterres)
However, despite the symbolic significance of the ICJ opinion, it has proved more difficult to use as a diplomatic tool. It reportedly failed to make a significant impact during last year’s UNFCCC climate talks in Belem, where Saudi Arabia opposed its inclusion in final texts, calling it a “red, red line”.
The Trump administration has withdrawn the US from the Paris climate agreement and other major environmental accords, while pursuing policies aimed at boosting fossil fuel production. According to The Associated Press, the Trump administration had also urged other countries earlier this year to pressure Vanuatu into withdrawing the resolution.
Before the vote, Vanuatu’s ambassador to the UN, Odo Tevi, stressed the urgency of the issue. “We should be honest with one another about why this matters … It matters because the harm is real and it is already here, along our islands and coastlines, for communities facing drought and failed harvests,” he said, according to The Guardian.
“The states and peoples bearing the heaviest burden are very often those who contributed least to the problem,” Tevi added.
The Paris climate agreement, adopted in 2015, aimed to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, a target that gave rise to the slogan “1.5 to stay alive”. However, scientists now say that even the best-case scenarios are likely to exceed that temperature threshold.
The resolution calls on all UN member states to take all possible steps to avoid causing significant damage to the climate and environment, including limiting emissions produced within their borders. It also urges countries to fulfil their existing climate commitments under the Paris Agreement.
Governments are asked to cooperate in good faith, continuously coordinate efforts to tackle climate change globally, and ensure that climate policies protect the rights to life, health and an adequate standard of living.
Following the vote, Guterres said that countries least responsible for climate change were paying the highest price. He added that the path to climate justice “runs through a rapid, just, and equitable transition away from fossil fuels towards renewable energy.”
The UN chief also noted that renewable energy has become the cheapest and most secure source of power, and said the goal of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels still remains within reach.
