The rising sea level poses a significant crisis that demands immediate attention to avert devastating consequences. This concern was emphasized by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres during the unveiling of the World Meteorological Organization’s (WMO) report titled Surging Seas in a Warming World at the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) held in Tonga on Thursday.
The report details the alarming effects of climate change and severe weather on the Pacific region. Guterres pointed out that since 1980, sea surface temperatures have increased at a rate three times faster than the global average, resulting in more frequent marine heatwaves and coastal flooding.
“A worldwide catastrophe is putting this Pacific paradise in peril,” Guterres stated. He added, “Global average sea levels are rising at an unprecedented rate – the ocean is overflowing. The cause is evident: greenhouse gases, primarily from burning fossil fuels, are heating our planet, and the ocean is absorbing this heat – quite literally.”
Guterres stressed the necessity for nations to provide increased financial support for vulnerable countries during the upcoming 29th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) scheduled for November this year.
WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo highlighted that early warning systems are essential for effective emergency planning, resource distribution, and proactive measures, yet these systems are accessible in only one-third of small island developing states.
The report further calls for urgent global action to address and mitigate the impact of climate change.