UN General Assembly Adopts First Global Declaration on Sea-Level Rise
The UN General Assembly approved the first-ever declaration on sea-level rise risks.
Why it matters: This declaration lays the foundation for international legal frameworks on climate change impacts, crucial for environmental law and international policy professionals handling rising ocean threats.
- Adopted on September 24, 2026, by the UN General Assembly in New York.
- Affirms maritime zones and statehood continuity despite sea-level changes.
- Calls for global cooperation, data sharing, disaster risk reduction, and long-term adaptation.
- Recognizes nearly 770 million people live less than five meters above high-tide line and are vulnerable.
On September 24, 2026, during a high-level plenary meeting in New York, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the UN Declaration on Sea Level Rise. This declaration marks the first of its kind to address the growing global challenge posed by rising sea levels to coastal nations and communities.
The declaration highlights the critical need for stronger international cooperation and urgent collective action. It underscores the irreversible risks that sea-level rise presents not only to the environment but also to economies, trade, infrastructure, and food systems, as emphasized by UN Secretary-General António Guterres.
Notably, the declaration affirms that maritime zones established under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) remain legally stable despite physical coastline shifts caused by sea-level rise. This important clarification supports the continuity of statehood and UN membership for nations facing submersion risks, addressing longstanding concerns raised by small island developing states such as Palau.
Furthermore, the declaration calls for enhanced disaster risk reduction efforts, improved data availability, comprehensive risk assessments, and early warning systems. It promotes long-term planning and adaptation strategies informed by the best available science to build resilience among vulnerable populations.
According to the World Meteorological Organization, around 770 million people—nearly one-tenth of humanity—live less than five meters above the high-tide line, highlighting the human scale of this crisis.
The declaration builds on years of foundational work, including the UN International Law Commission’s study of sea-level rise and international law from 2019 to 2025, which focused on legal issues related to the law of the sea, statehood continuity, and protecting affected persons.
By the numbers:
- 770 million — people living less than five meters above the high-tide line vulnerable to sea-level rise
- 2019 — year UN International Law Commission began examining sea-level rise and international law
- 2025 — year UN International Law Commission completed its work on sea-level rise legal issues