Sea-level rise: UN approved a draft declaration that “must be now translated into actions” (A. Guterres)

"I commend Member States for negotiating a comprehensive UN declaration on sea-level rise. This milestone must now be translated into actions", said António Guterres, UN Secretary-General, on 24 September 2026, as an opening remarks during a dedicated High-level meeting.

The text, which still have to be formally adopted, calls on the international community to step up efforts to adapt to rising sea levels, to ensure the legal certainty of maritime borders and to preserve state continuity for nations at risk of disappearing.

“In 2024, the global sea level rose almost six millimetres, the highest annual increase ever recorded, and the pace is accelerating. According to the IPCC, even in the best case scenario, sea levels are projected to rise by as much as half a metre by the end of the century. Without significant adaptationand mitigation, the risks facing coastal cities and communities could increase tenfold by 2100,” he stated.

The UN Secretary-General also underlined that “finance must match the crisis”, as a first step by tripling to closing the adaptation gap.

The President of the…