A general view as U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during the 80th session of the UN’s General Assembly (UNGA) at the United Nations headquarters in New York City on Sept. 23, 2025. Alexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty Images
Every Pacific leader who addressed the recent U.N. General Assembly cited climate change as the most pressing issue for the region’s 6 million residents with many supporting Australia’s bid to host the COP31 conference.
Together, they also approved a recent International Court of Justice (ICJ) decision that finds states have a binding legal obligation to address the challenge.
