Press Release, 22 May 2026
The Government of the Republic of the Marshall Islands strongly affirms the adoption by the United Nations General Assembly of the resolution welcoming the 2025 advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on climate change and affirming that states must comply with their obligations under international law to protect the climate system.
This resolution reflects the importance to the international community of the unanimous advisory opinion from the Court’s 15 judges, which states that all nations have fundamental legal obligations to reduce harmful emissions to avoid liability for wrongful acts – a requirement that extends beyond treaty status – and that for low lying island nations, legal boundaries and rights to resources will remain unchanged, even if sea levels continue to rise. The Marshall Islands worked closely with Vanuatu as the pen holder and negotiation chair, as well as the 39 member Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), over months of detailed negotiations to secure wide agreement.
RMI President Dr. Hilda C. Heine stated: “This resolution is an important step forward for the UN General Assembly and international community in affirming the Court’s landmark findings and opens the door for future work. The Court’s findings are especially relevant at national levels, including in domestic decision-making and legal action on climate change-related emissions.”
The Government extends its gratitude to all member states who supported the resolution and reaffirms the importance of climate change, which has long been defined by Pacific Island Forum Leaders as the region’s greatest single security threat
