UN adopts first sea-level-rise declaration, unanimously

The UN General Assembly unanimously adopted its first-ever declaration on sea-level rise on September 25: island nations facing total inundation — Tuvalu, the Marshall Islands — will retain their sovereignty, UN membership, and maritime zones even if their landmass disappears beneath the waves. The political anomaly: the United States didn't block it, despite having quit Paris, attacked the cargo-ship carbon tax, and threatened tariff retaliation against vocal climate countries.

The science behind the declaration keeps darkening. A UNEP Limiting Overshoot finding says temporarily exceeding 1.5°C is now unavoidable, with an optimistic peak around 1.8°C. And the finance gap yawns: no new funding was pledged alongside the declaration, with wealthy nations providing roughly $130 billion a year in climate finance — below what's needed.

Sources: Grist