This weekly round-up brings you key climate news from the past seven days, including UN member states backing a landmark climate ruling by the world’s top court and another victory for the US chemical industry.
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1. ‘Landmark Moment for Climate Justice’: UN General Assembly Backs Historic World Court Climate Ruling
The United Nations General Assembly on Thursday adopted a long-sought resolution validating a landmark 2025 ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the obligations of states in respect of climate change.
The resolution, drawn up by the Pacific island nation of Vanuatu and several other countries, was adopted with 141 votes in favour, eight against and 28 abstentions. The United States was among the countries voting against it, alongside petrostates Saudi Arabia, Russia and Iran as well as Yemen, Israel, Belarus, and Liberia.
The ICJ, the world’s top court, delivered a historic advisory opinion on countries’ legal responsibilities regarding climate change. It ruled that government actions driving climate change are illegal and that states are required under international laws to reduce emissions, prevent harm, and collaborate to safeguard vulnerable populations. It also stressed that these obligations encompass the full range of activities resulting in greenhouse gas emissions, from fossil fuel usage to extraction, subsidies and regulatory oversight.
The resolution endorses and seeks to operationalize the court’s opinion, reaffirming binding legal obligations for climate cooperation among states and calling on all UN member states to comply with their respective obligations under international law and to take all possible steps to avoid causing significant damage to the climate and environment, including through transboundary emissions.
Full story here.
2. April Temperatures Hit Joint Third-Highest on Record Globally As Chance of Very Strong El Niño Grows
Last month was the joint third-warmest April on record, with temperatures 1.43C above pre-industrial levels, the European Union’s Earth Observation program Copernicus has confirmed.
The month continued the streak of extreme global warmth seen in recent months, making it “virtually certain” that 2026 will rank among the 10 warmest years ever recorded, with the year also on pace to finish among the top five warmest on record. Sea surface temperatures also approached historic highs once more in April, particularly across the extra-polar oceans, which saw their second-highest temperatures on record.
The unusual warming of global seas is the “hallmark” of an emerging El Niño, a global climatic phenomenon which occurs every two to seven years, on average. Already in March, weather forecasters including NOAA predicted a high chance of an El Niño event developing later this year. Several forecasters have since updated their predictions, suggesting that this year’s event could become one of the strongest ever. Such an outcome could amplify extreme weather worldwide, and potentially qualify as a “super” El Niño, which is declared when water temperatures in the equatorial Pacific rise more than 2C above average, but uncertainty over its peak strength remains high.
Full story here.
3. Trump’s EPA Wants to End Limits on Carcinogenic ‘Forever Chemicals’ in Drinking Water
The US is set to kill Biden-era limits on toxic PFAS, colloquially known as “forever chemicals”, in drinking water.
Under Administrator Lee Zeldin, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will issue two new rules aimed at delaying and rescinding the limits. The first one will repeal 2024 regulations that set nationwide limits on four per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) – GenX, PFNA, PFBS, and PFHxS – in drinking water. The agency will also restart a lengthy process to establish whether regulation of these substances is required – and if so, how to regulate them.
The second proposal would retain limits on two PFAS known as PFOA and PFOS, but extend the deadline for water utilities to comply with the regulations from 2029 to 2031. The Biden administration had limited levels of these two substances in drinking water to four parts per trillion, the lowest detectable level, citing scientific findings revealing that there is “no level of exposure to these contaminants without risk of health impacts, including certain cancers.”
The new proposals directly contradict the EPA’s April announcement, which named reducing PFAS risks to the public as a top two-year priority alongside “advancing investment into America and job creation through permitting reform.”
Full story here.
4. Trump’s EPA Appointees Received At Least $1.8bn From Chemical Industry, Trade Groups Ahead of Rollback of Major Safeguards
16 Trump-appointed Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) officials were paid more than $2.8 million by chemical companies and trade groups seeking an end to the federal disaster management system that protects the nation from chemical catastrophes.
An analysis of financial disclosures by the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), an ethics watchdog, revealed that 23 separate chemical companies paid EPA officials a total of $1,442,913 in salaries, bonuses, compensation for consulting and legal services and other payments before they joined the agency. Separately, eight chemical industry trade associations also paid EPA appointees a total of at least $1,431,638. Two of these associations – the American Chemistry Council and the American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers – publicly supported the rollback of key safeguards against chemical emergencies and disasters.
Industry had been lobbying President Donald Trump since he took office in early 2025 to undo a Biden-era rule 12 years in the making that significantly strenghtened the Risk Management Program (RMP), claiming its provisions would be too expensive to implement. In February, Trump’s EPA announced proposed revisions to the program.
Full story here.
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