UN adopts resolution affirming that countries face legal obligation to act on climate change

On 21 May 2026, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution endorsing the International Court of Justice's July 2025 advisory opinion that states have a legal obligation under international law to address climate change, with 141 countries voting in favour, eight against, and 28 abstaining. The eight nations voting against were the United States, Israel, Iran, Russia, Belarus, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and Liberia; a group of largely Arab nations also failed to pass four proposed amendments that would have diluted the court's advice to say it should be taken into account only 'as appropriate'. The underlying ICJ opinion concluded unanimously that the production and consumption of fossil fuels 'may constitute an internationally wrongful act attributable to that state.'