Only eight countries - mainly oil-producing states such as Saudi Arabia, the United States and Iran - voted against the resolution.
It builds on an opinion from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague last year that ruled that it was “illegal” for countries to neglect their climate commitments. The opinion also opens the way for compensation for the countries most affected by climate change.
However, the original draft of the UN resolution had to be toned down after negotiations. A section on creating a register of evidence of climate-related damage around the world was deleted.
But the final version still states that countries that violate their climate commitments can be required to pay “full compensation to affected states.”
UN Secretary-General António Guterres praises the adopted resolution.
“This is a powerful affirmation of international law, climate justice, science and the responsibility of states to protect people from the escalating climate crisis,” he said in a statement.
