IN BRIEF
- The United Nations resolution wants to deem the failure to limit fossil fuel production as an “internationally wrongful act”.
- A group of students from the Pacific instigated and advocated for the advisory opinion.
Australia has thrown its support behind a groundbreaking United Nations resolution, initiated by its Pacific island neighbors, calling for decisive action on climate change.
The resolution, adopted by the 193-member UN, includes an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which cautions that neglecting to reduce fossil fuel production could be considered an “internationally wrongful act.”
This significant legal opinion from the ICJ, published in July 2025, was initially proposed by a group of Pacific students and represents a significant step forward in global climate action.
The Pacific island nation of Vanuatu was the first to champion this cause, actively supporting the advisory opinion.
Vanuatu, along with its Pacific allies, took the lead in sponsoring the UN General Assembly resolution, highlighting its commitment to addressing the climate challenges it faces.
The resolution passed with 141 votes in favour, eight against and 28 abstentions.
Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change director Vishal Prasad is one of the students who instigated the ICJ advisory opinion.
“This must be a turning point in accountability for damaging the climate,” he said.
“Communities on the frontlines, like in the Pacific, have been waiting far too long and continue to pay too high a price for the actions of others.”
Amanda McKenzie, chief executive of the Australia-based Climate Council, said the ruling exposes the federal government’s stance on fossil fuel exports.
“While the government is ramping up renewable power, it is still giving fossil fuel giants a free ride,” she said.
“Continuing to wave through massive new coal and gas projects puts our kids’ future at risk and is now clearly against international law.”
Australia voted in favour of the resolution.
The nation remains a major exporter of coal and gas, despite pursuing significant domestic emissions cuts and ambitious renewables targets.
Other big fossil fuel producers, including the United States, Russia, Iran and Saudi Arabia, opposed the measure.
Australia was not among the resolution’s 69 co-sponsors leading into the vote. Australia and New Zealand were the only Pacific nations missing from the list.
Australia holds a key president of negotiations role heading into the next Conference of the Parties climate change talks to be held in Türkiye, with Fiji and Tuvalu set to hold official pre-event meetings.
Low-lying Tuvalu is expected to lose 90 per cent of its land to the ocean by the end of the century due to sea level rise.
The UN General Assembly resolution formally reaffirms the ICJ’s findings and urges governments to align policies with limiting global warming to 1.5C.
It also urges nations in violation to provide reparation for damage and calls for the regulation of fossil fuel companies.
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