The United Nations General Assembly has approved its first declaration on sea level rise, a unanimous resolution that the United States did not block. The declaration includes references to climate change and climate aid for developing countries, marking a rare win for multilateral cooperation during a period when the Trump administration has withdrawn from international climate efforts.
The agreement, driven by the Alliance of Small Island States, affirms that countries can maintain their maritime zones and continue to exist as political actors even if rising seas inundate their land. It enshrines a "presumption in favor of continued statehood," echoing a landmark International Court of Justice ruling. Bahamas Prime Minister Philip Davis said the declaration could "heighten the flow of action," while noting that global efforts to reduce carbon footprints have stalled.
The declaration also urges developed countries to provide "expanded access" to adaptation funds for small island states, but it does not by itself increase the money available. Wealthy nations currently provide about $130 billion a year in climate finance, well below the $300 billion annual target agreed for 2035. Even so, the inclusion of climate aid language was welcomed by island nations, and the US cooperation reflects that protecting maritime borders is in every country's interest, according to NYU law professor Bryce Rudyk, who advises the island-states alliance.