NEW YORK, 25th September, 2026 (WAM) -- World leaders approved the UN Declaration on Sea Level Rise by consensus on Thursday as the UN chief warned that encroaching waters are already threatening the future of coastal communities worldwide.
Sharing challenges and recommendations, heads of state and ambassadors outlined ways their countries have tried to adapt to rising seas, which are an existential threat to many small island developing States.
At the outset of the high-level meeting, UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned that global sea levels rose by almost six millimetres in 2024 – the largest annual increase ever recorded.
While this rise is measured in millimeters, “its price is measured in millions of shattered lives, uprooted communities, and stolen futures.”
Without drastic emissions cuts, seas could rise by a metre by the end of the century. Right now, around 770 million people live less than five metres above the high-tide line.
Rising waters threaten homes, food systems, infrastructure and even the territorial integrity of some nations, he said.
However, those who contributed least to climate change face the greatest danger, Guterres said, urging action on three fronts: cutting emissions, protecting communities and closing legal gaps.
To change that trajectory, he said global emissions must peak immediately and fall 60 per cent by 2035, and adaptation finance must triple.
the declaration says:
Science and data: Better observation, shared data and stronger early warning systems
Finance and resilience: More predictable and accessible funding, especially for small island and least developed countries
Livelihoods and culture: Protecting coastal communities’ livelihoods and cultural heritage and including people in decisions that affect them
International Law: A presumption in favour of continued statehood and the ability to maintain maritime zones established under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea – despite the physical threat presented by rising seas.