United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has issued a stark warning about climate change, calling on countries to “Save Our Seas” amid a crisis caused by greenhouse gases and rising sea levels.
Speaking in Nuku’alofa, Tonga, on Tuesday at a meeting of Pacific Island leaders, Guterres noted that “there is no easy way to reverse the damage.”
I'm in Tonga to issue a global SOS – Save Our Seas.
Global average sea levels are rising at rates unprecedented in the past 3,000 years.
The ocean is overflowing because of climate change.
The world must #ActNow & answer the SOS before it's too late.https://t.co/5bZuelvQ40 pic.twitter.com/B8ltc6Sej5
— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) August 26, 2024
“This is a critical situation. Rising seas are a crisis we’ve created ourselves,” he said. “The problem is clear. Greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuels are heating our planet, and the oceans are feeling the impact.”
Guterres noted that most Pacific Islanders live close to the coast and at low elevations, making them especially vulnerable.
He warned that without major cuts in emissions, sea levels could rise by at least 15 centimeters (6 inches) by mid-century, leading to increased coastal flooding.
He stressed the need for immediate action, stating, “If we save the Pacific, we also save ourselves. The world must act now.”
Guterres renewed his call for the world’s largest polluters, the G20 nations, to provide more financial support to the most climate-vulnerable countries, saying, “We need more funds to address the rising seas.”
One of the Pacific Islands’ key climate initiatives is the Pacific Resilience Facility, a financial institution set to launch in 2025 to help communities adapt to climate change. However, it faces a significant funding shortfall from international donors.
The Secretary-General’s comments follow recent reports from two UN agencies highlighting worsening sea level rise. The World Meteorological Organization and the UN Climate Action Team both reported significant increases in sea levels, with Nuku’alofa experiencing a rise of 21 centimeters (8.3 inches) from 1990 to 2020, more than twice the global average.
The Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting, which runs until August 30, is focusing on the severe effects of climate change on low-lying Pacific communities. The UN General Assembly will hold a special session on September 25 to discuss the threat of rising sea levels.
The official is also expected to visit Samoa during his trip.