By Abbas Nazil
UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Wednesday welcomed the adoption of a United Nations General Assembly resolution reinforcing states’ obligations to address climate change following an advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice.
The resolution, adopted in New York, followed the ICJ’s legal clarification on state responsibilities regarding climate protection and environmental harm linked to greenhouse gas emissions.
It passed with overwhelming support, recording 141 votes in favour, 8 against and 28 abstentions among UN member states.
Guterres said the decision represented a strong affirmation of international law, climate justice, scientific evidence and the duty of governments to protect people from an escalating global climate crisis.
He stated that the world’s highest court had already spoken through its advisory opinion and that the General Assembly had now reinforced that position through its collective political endorsement.
The UN chief praised the leadership of Pacific Island nations and other Small Island Developing States for consistently pushing global action on climate change despite being among the most vulnerable to its impacts.
He also commended young climate activists worldwide for sustaining pressure on governments to accelerate meaningful environmental action and emissions reduction commitments.
Guterres stressed that those least responsible for global greenhouse gas emissions are currently suffering the most severe consequences, describing the situation as a major global injustice that must be urgently corrected.
He reiterated that fossil fuels remain the principal driver of the climate crisis and called for a rapid and coordinated global transition away from them.
According to him, renewable energy sources have now proven to be the cheapest and most secure form of energy supply available, making them central to future energy systems.
The statement emphasized that governments must intensify efforts to keep global temperature rise within the 1.5 degrees Celsius threshold above pre-industrial levels in order to avoid the worst climate impacts.
Guterres added that achieving this target requires stronger international cooperation, faster implementation of climate commitments and increased investment in clean energy infrastructure across both developed and developing countries.
He further noted that climate action should be anchored in fairness, ensuring that vulnerable nations receive adequate support to adapt to climate impacts and transition sustainably.
The UN chief concluded that the path forward demands urgent transformation of global energy systems to build a safer, fairer and more resilient world for present and future generations.
