UN General Assembly
2025

Madam President, the Court has made clear that states carry binding obligations to act on climate change, to prevent harm, to cooperate, and to protect the rights of both present and future generations. These duties are legal, moral, and universal, and hold states accountable to stop harmful practices, to prevent repetition, and to repair the damage caused. Madam President, Solomon Islands also raised the issue of climate displacement. Entire communities are already at risk of losing their homes and homelands. The Court has now confirmed that the principle of non-refoulement applies, which means that no state can lawfully return people to places where climate change makes survival impossible. This is indeed a powerful affirmation that rights to life, food, water, and habitat land must be protected. For our small island developing states, this recognition is existential, and it reminds us that climate obligations are ega omnis, owed to the world as a whole, demanding collective responsibility for a shared future.