Governments should back Vanuatu’s climate resolution at the United Nations General Assembly

The world’s highest court has spoken: tackling climate change is not a choice — it is a legal obligation. Now the United Nations General Assembly must act by urging its 193 member states to turn that obligation into concrete action.

Millions of people around the world have already lost their homes, livelihoods and lives due to the impacts of climate change, making decisive state action essential.

In July 2025, the International Court of Justice delivered a unanimous landmark advisory opinion outlining countries’ obligations under international law to address climate change. The court ruled that states are legally required to protect the climate system, prevent transboundary harm and regulate activities responsible for greenhouse gas emissions. It also clarified that failing to act on climate change can violate fundamental rights, including the rights to life, health, food, water, housing and culture.

Human Rights Watch has documented how fossil fuel production harms communities worldwide, particularly those living near extraction and infrastructure sites. The court’s opinion reinforces that governments already have legal responsibilities to address these harms.

Vanuatu, working with a cross-regional coalition of countries, has circulated a draft resolution at the UN General Assembly aimed at turning the court’s findings into action. The proposal urges states to strengthen national climate plans, phase out fossil fuels and better protect communities displaced by climate impacts. It also calls for mechanisms to document and track the losses communities are already suffering.

The General Assembly has previously translated advisory opinions into resolutions that push governments toward concrete measures. However, the United States—backed by several oil-producing states in the Gulf region—has urged Vanuatu to withdraw the draft. The Pacific island nation, itself threatened by rising sea levels, has refused. Vanuatu and its partners have attempted to accommodate concerns from various countries, including members of the European Union, which has raised objections to a broader interpretation of the court’s advisory opinion.

Human Rights Watch and its partners are now urging governments to engage constructively in ongoing negotiations and vote in favour of the resolution. They argue it is critical to resist attempts to dilute the proposal’s key provisions — particularly those related to human rights, international law and stronger global cooperation on climate action.