The UN General Assembly has adopted a landmark climate resolution backing the ICJ advisory opinion on States’ legal obligations, with Kenya among 141 countries voting in favour.

📻 Breaking It Down

NAIROBI, Kenya, May 21 — The United Nations General Assembly has adopted a landmark resolution welcoming the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on States’ legal obligations regarding climate change, with 141 countries — including Kenya — voting in favour.

The resolution, spearheaded by Vanuatu alongside several other nations, passed after intense negotiations and multiple proposed amendments, securing 141 votes in favour, eight against and 28 abstentions.

Countries that voted against the resolution were the United States, Russia, Belarus, Iran, Israel, Liberia, Saudi Arabia and Yemen.

📌 What You Need to Know

The vote follows a landmark July 2025 advisory opinion by the ICJ, the UN’s principal judicial body, which found that States have an obligation under international law to protect the environment from greenhouse gas emissions.

The Court further stated that countries breaching these obligations could be held legally responsible and may be required to halt the wrongful conduct, guarantee non-repetition and provide reparations depending on the circumstances.

Although ICJ advisory opinions are not legally binding, they carry significant legal and moral authority and are widely regarded as influential in shaping and clarifying international law.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres hailed the General Assembly’s adoption of the resolution as a major affirmation that climate action is a legal obligation rather than merely a political choice.

“The world’s highest court has spoken. Today, the General Assembly has answered,” Guterres said after the vote.

He described the resolution as “a powerful affirmation of international law, climate justice, science and the responsibility of states to protect people from the escalating climate crisis.”

📰 Source: Capital FM Kenya