The United Nations General Assembly has adopted its first declaration on sea-level rise, affirming that countries threatened by rising oceans should retain their statehood and maritime rights while calling for stronger support for vulnerable coastal communities.
Adopted on September 24, 2026, the declaration marks the first time all UN member states have agreed on a common text addressing the issue, according to the Alliance of Small Island States.
The declaration affirms a presumption of continued statehood even when rising seas alter a country’s territory. It supports the continuity of sovereignty, rights, responsibilities and UN membership, a particularly significant position for small island nations facing the possible loss of habitable land. It also affirms that maritime zones established under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea can be maintained despite changes to coastlines.
The agreement comes amid accelerating sea-level rise. The World Meteorological Organization reported that global mean sea level reached its highest point in the satellite record in 2024. The average annual rate of rise more than doubled, from 2.1 millimetres between 1993 and 2002 to 4.7 millimetres between 2015 and 2024.
Member states called for improved early warning systems, greater access to adaptation funding and the use of sea-level projections when planning and maintaining coastal infrastructure. The declaration also identifies the protection and restoration of mangroves and other coastal ecosystems as essential measures for strengthening resilience.
For Guyana, these priorities are especially relevant. The country’s national climate reporting identifies much of its coastal zone as below sea level and dependent on seawalls and natural defences, including mangroves, for protection from the Atlantic Ocean. The declaration’s emphasis on infrastructure, ecosystem restoration and long-term planning therefore speaks directly to the challenges facing Guyana’s coastal communities.
