Russia on Wednesday voted with other major energy exporters and greenhouse gas emitters against a UN General Assembly resolution that requires governments to take stronger action on climate change.
The vote was 141-8 with 28 abstentions. Russia, Iran, the United States, Belarus, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Yemen and Liberia voted against the non-binding resolution.
The vote backs a July 2025 International Court of Justice (ICJ) advisory opinion stating that it is “unlawful” for countries to neglect their climate commitments and that they may be required to pay “full reparation to injured states.”
The biggest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions routinely oppose any mechanism that could force them to pay reparations to victims of climate disruption.
Russia is one of the top global emitters, with its share in both historic and current emissions at around 5%.
