Overview
- The General Assembly adopted the Togo‑led 'Correct the Map' resolution in a 164‑6 vote with only the United States opposed and several abstentions, marking a diplomatic victory for the African Union; the vote took place on Friday, September 4, 2026.
- The resolution is non‑binding but urges schools, governments, international organizations and technology firms to prefer Equal‑Earth and other area‑preserving (flächentreue) projections when accurate relative sizes matter.
- The U.S. delegation framed the initiative as ideologically driven and voted against it, while Ukraine abstained because some Equal‑Earth depictions differentiate the Russia‑annexed Crimea from Ukraine, illustrating how disputed borders shaped votes.
- Cartographers note the root issue is the Mercator projection’s area distortion, which makes polar regions like Greenland look far larger than they are relative to Africa; Equal‑Earth, created in 2018, preserves area while reducing shape distortion.
- Practical change will be gradual because the resolution does not compel action; early adopters such as Germany’s BMZ and some agencies have released Equal‑Earth maps and the shift could affect textbooks, media maps and digital platforms over time.