‘Rising seas are sinking futures’

World leaders approved the UN Declaration on Sea Level Rise by consensus on Thursday as the UN chief warned that encroaching waters are already threatening the future of coastal communities worldwide.Here’s what the declaration says:Science and data: Better observation, shared data and stronger early warning systemsFinance and resilience: More predictable and accessible funding, especially for small island and least developed countriesLivelihoods and culture: Protecting coastal communities’ livelihoods and cultural heritage and including people in decisions that affect themInternational Law: A presumption in favour of continued statehood and the ability to maintain maritime zones established under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea – despite the physical threat presented by rising seas.Visit our live coverage of the meeting as it happened here.Sharing challenges and recommendations, Heads of State and ambassadors outlined ways their countries have tried to adapt to rising seas, which are an existential threat to many small island developing States.At the outset of the high-level meeting, UN Secretary-General António Guterreswarned that global sea levels rose by almost six mill...