UN adopts First Declaration on Sea Level Rise

About First-ever UN Declaration on Sea Level Rise

• The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has adopted its first-ever declaration on sea-level rise.
  • It marks the first time that UN member states have reached a common understanding on the issue of rising sea levels.
  • The declaration is particularly significant for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and low-lying coastal countries, which face increasing risks to their land, infrastructure and livelihoods due to rising global temperatures.
• Focus: It organ­ises action around sci­ence and data; adapt­a­tion and fin­an­cing; live­li­hoods, socio­eco­nomic devel­op­ment, data­ shar­ing, and early­ warn­ings and  the legal con­sequences of sea ­level rise.
• Key Provisions:
  • One of the declaration’s key provisions addresses the legal status of island nations whose territories are threatened by rising sea levels.
    • It affirms that the physical loss of territory or changes in coastlines caused by sea-level rise do not automatically lead to the loss of statehood.
  • It also says mari­time zones will con­tinue to be defined in line with the UN Con­ven­tion on the Law of the Sea, even if rising waters cause coast­lines to retreat fur­ther inland.
    • This is particularly important for island nations, as maritime zones determine their rights over ocean resources and activities.
• Suggestions:
  • It calls for stronger anticipatory action through multi-hazard early warning systems and the integration of climate-risk assessments into planning and decision-making.
  • It urges greater international cooperation and financial, technical and policy support for developing countries, particularly SIDS and least developed countries (LDCs).
  • It seeks increased funding for local responses to sea-level rise and promotes nature-based solutions, including the protection and restoration of mangroves, kelp forests and seagrass meadows.