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The United Nations General Assembly has adopted a Political Declaration calling for stronger international action to address rising sea levels and their growing impact on vulnerable countries.
The declaration was adopted during a high-level meeting at UN headquarters in New York on Thursday. The meeting focused on practical, coordinated and adequately financed measures to address the threat posed by rising seas.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has described sea-level rise as a major threat to communities, economies and national identities, particularly in small island developing states.
The UN says rising seas are already increasing coastal flooding, erosion and saltwater intrusion while putting pressure on infrastructure, food security and livelihoods.
Global mean sea level reached a record high in 2024, according to the World Meteorological Organization.
WMO reported that global mean sea level increased by 5.9 millimetres in 2024, the largest annual increase in the satellite record. The long-term rate has also accelerated, rising from 2.1mm per year between 1993 and 2002 to 4.7mm annually between 2015 and 2024.
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The main drivers include the expansion of seawater as oceans warm and the loss of ice from Greenland, Antarctica and mountain glaciers.
WMO projects that global mean sea level will continue rising throughout the century. Depending on future emissions and ice-sheet behaviour, the likely range by the end of the century is around 0.4 to 1 metre relative to recent levels.
Small island developing states and low-lying coastal countries face some of the most severe consequences.
Rising seas can increase coastal flooding, accelerate erosion and contaminate freshwater supplies through saltwater intrusion.
Around 900 million people live in low-lying coastal zones, according to figures cited by the president of the 81st UN General Assembly during Thursday’s meeting.
The UN says the effects extend beyond physical damage to housing and infrastructure. They also threaten health, food and water security, tourism, fisheries, cultural heritage and economic stability.
Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr, speaking on behalf of the Alliance of Small Island States, said the issue was particularly significant for countries whose communities and territories are closely tied to the ocean.
Small island states have raised concerns about sea-level rise for decades and have pushed for stronger international recognition of the risks to their sovereignty and national identity.
The political declaration also addresses legal concerns facing countries whose territories could be severely affected by rising seas.
It supports the continuity of maritime zones despite physical changes caused by sea-level rise.
The issue is particularly important for small island states because coastal erosion and permanent inundation could alter their physical territory.
International legal discussions have increasingly focused on maintaining maritime zones and protecting the continuity of statehood as climate change reshapes coastlines.
UN legal discussions have previously noted that international law does not automatically provide for the loss of statehood when a state’s land becomes partially or completely submerged because of climate-related sea-level rise.
The new declaration gives political momentum to those efforts.
The UN meeting called for stronger cooperation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while helping vulnerable countries adapt to unavoidable climate impacts.
The declaration also emphasises the need for adequate financing and greater international cooperation.
UN officials said effective responses would require coordinated action across governments, international institutions, financial organisations, scientists and other stakeholders.
Nature-based measures such as mangrove restoration can also help reduce coastal risks while supporting carbon sequestration and coastal ecosystems.
However, experts say adaptation alone cannot eliminate the underlying threat posed by continued global warming.
The UN’s high-level meeting marks a renewed international focus on sea-level rise as governments prepare climate, development and resilience strategies for the coming decades.
