by Navina Sadasivam And Patterson Rainbowgrist
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About six years ago, law students at the University of the South Pacific convinced the government of the small island nation of Vanuatu to take the damage caused by climate change to the International Court of Justice, the world’s highest legal authority. Vanuatu, with students, A campaign was launched to satisfy the court That climate change is a human rights issue and countries have a legal responsibility to protect the planet for future generations In 2025, the court unanimously sided with them. In a legally binding advisory opinion, it ruled that countries’ failure to tackle climate change was a “wrongdoing” and that other nations affected by a warming planet could seek compensation.
Now, the effort has scored another victory. On Wednesday, an overwhelming majority of countries at the United Nations voted Adopt a resolution Upholding the judgment of the court. The historic decision signals political support behind the court’s finding that countries have a legal responsibility to address climate change, mitigate its impacts and compensate victims. More than 140 countries voted in favor of the resolution. Only eight – including the United States, Iran, Israel, Saudi Arabia and Russia – voted against (28 countries abstained).
“This must be a turning point in accountability for climate damage,” said Vishal Prasad, director of Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change and one of the law students who campaigned to take the case to the International Court of Justice, or ICJ. “The journey of this idea from classrooms across the Pacific to The Hague and the United Nations gives us continued hope that when people organize, the world can be moved to act.”
The near-unanimous decision is a strong signal that multilateral cooperation on climate change has not fully unfolded. Over the past year, global consensus on reducing greenhouse gas emissions has proven shaky. After Donald Trump’s administration announced that the United States would withdraw from the Paris Agreement Actively opposes climate action. Last year, it derailed countries that were close to imposing a carbon tax on the shipping industry, which accounts for about 3 percent of the world’s carbon emissions. Control a contract Industry emissions now appear uncertain. The US has Also help kill a cap on plastic production and reprimanded the International Energy Agency for projecting future energy demand in such a way that climate action would stall.
“The unanimity and clarity expressed by the vote was striking,” said Nikki Resch, director of the Climate and Energy Program at the Center for International Environmental Law. Reich said the resolution puts “political weight behind legal norms” and will help translate international court decisions into practical action. “This will become another pillar and proof of political support for action and accountability.”
The Trump administration has also waged a campaign to block the United Nations from accepting the historic International Court of Justice ruling. In February, the The State Department sent a message Noting all consulates and embassies that it “strongly opposes” the UN resolution and that adopting it “could pose a major threat to US industry.” In remarks before the vote, Tammy Bruce, a former conservative radio host and now deputy UN representative in New York, said the resolution was “problematic” and that “the United States continues to have serious legal and policy concerns about it”.
“The resolution singles out certain groups for preferential treatment and makes dangerous political statements, such as the idea that climate change is an unprecedented challenge of civilizational proportions,” Bruce said. “Such hyperbolic statements are not appropriate in a resolution of an ICJ advisory opinion.”
The resolution reiterated the original findings of the International Court of Justice and called on countries to implement measures to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) while transitioning away from fossil fuels. It also ensures that countries must meet their climate obligations and that countries harmed by the inaction of others are entitled to seek redress. Finally, the resolution called on the UN Secretary-General to submit a report next year on compliance with the International Court of Justice findings. Like most UN resolutions, the resolution is not legally binding; Rather, it is intended to indicate political priorities or views.
The UN vote comes as countries crack down on climate activism and litigation. Government of Aotearoa, New Zealand Moved to amend the Climate Act To limit civil court actions against major greenhouse gas emitters for climate-related damages.
Maori climate lawyer Mike Smith is among those whose cases could be affected. A recent report found that Increased land theft and colonization Impact of climate change on indigenous Maori people, who are most likely to be affected by extreme weather events. Smith is currently Six of New Zealand’s biggest greenhouse gas emitters are being sued in the High CourtAnd he described the UN vote as a “major shift”, arguing that it reflected a changing understanding of climate change not as environmental harm, but as something with legal consequences.
“We know as Māori that the islands are part of our journey across the Pacific that brought us here to Aotearoa,” he said. “New Zealand has a responsibility to stand with Pacific nations like Vanuatu, Kiribati, Tonga and Tokelau. Not just symbolically, but to support strong legal and international action on climate damage.”
While the UN vote is a victory for indigenous activists in the Pacific and beyond, they believe many countries still need to be pushed to uphold their climate obligations.
“The law is clear that climate action cannot sit on the shelf, it must be turned into action,” Prasad said.
The Aboriginal News Alliance contributed reporting to this story.
This article originally appeared on grist A https://grist.org/international/in-a-rare-show-of-global-unity-countries-adopt-landmark-climate-ruling/.
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This is the story Originally published by grist.
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