UN Chief Warns: Surging Seas Threaten Us Al

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has issued a stark warning to the world's major polluters, emphasizing their responsibility to reduce emissions or face a global catastrophe. Speaking at the Pacific Island Forum Leaders Meeting in Tonga, Guterres highlighted the vulnerability of the Pacific region, which he described as the "most vulnerable area of the world" in the face of climate change. He condemned the "enormous injustice" faced by the Pacific Islands, which contribute little to climate change but suffer its harshest consequences.

"The Pacific is today the most vulnerable area of the world," Guterres told the BBC. "There is an enormous injustice about the Pacific, and it’s the reason I am here." He underscored that while small island nations contribute minimally to global carbon emissions, they bear the brunt of climate-related disasters. "The small islands don’t contribute to climate change, but everything that happens because of climate change is multiplied here," Guterres said.

In a passionate address at the forum, Guterres warned that rising sea levels pose a dire threat not only to the Pacific but to the entire world. "The surging seas are coming for us all," he cautioned, as the UN released two critical reports on the impact of rising sea levels on Pacific island nations. The World Meteorological Organization’s "State of the Climate in the South West Pacific" report detailed the region’s triple threat: accelerating sea-level rise, ocean warming, and acidification due to increased carbon dioxide absorption.

Guterres placed the blame squarely on greenhouse gases, primarily from burning fossil fuels, which he said are "cooking our planet." He stressed, "The sea is taking the heat – literally."

The forum's theme, "transformative resilience," was put to the test when heavy rains and a magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck on the opening day, emphasizing the region’s volatility and the urgent need for preparedness. Joseph Sikulu, Pacific director at 350, a climate advocacy group, noted, "It's such a stark reminder of how volatile things are within our region, and how important it is that we need to prepare for everything."

As the forum's official opening took place amid these natural disruptions, a nearby street parade echoed the region's defiance against rising seas. Dancers from various Pacific nations carried banners with messages like "We are not drowning, we are fighting" and "Sea levels are rising – so are we."

Guterres's visit to the Pacific is his second participation in the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting, which brings together leaders from 18 Pacific nations, including Australia and New Zealand. His previous visit in 2019 to Tuvalu sounded the alarm on rising sea levels, and he noted significant changes since then. "We see everywhere an enormous commitment to resist, a commitment to reduce the negative impact of climate change," he told the BBC. However, he also pointed out that international financial systems are ill-suited to support small, developing island states in distress.

During his visit, Guterres met with local communities in Tonga whose livelihoods are threatened by rising seas. Despite a seven-year wait for funding to build a sea wall, they continue to face bureaucratic delays. Guterres criticized the slow response of international financial systems, saying, "The bureaucracy, the complexity, the lack of sense of urgency because it’s a small island, far away," have all contributed to the ongoing delays.

Guterres also addressed the inadequacy of global efforts to support these vulnerable nations. He acknowledged promises of increased adaptation funding for developing countries but emphasized that "we are far from what is needed" to ensure their survival. Many Pacific Islanders at the conference pointed to Australia, the region’s largest donor and one of its biggest carbon emitters, as a key player in the fight against climate change.

Australia's commitment to fossil fuel extraction until "2050 and beyond," as stated by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese earlier this year, has drawn criticism. When asked about regional emitters like Australia, Guterres stressed the "essential responsibility of the big polluters" to curb emissions. He warned that without decisive action, the world would exceed the 1.5°C warming threshold set by the 2015 Paris Agreement, which aims to limit global warming to "well below" 2°C, with efforts to keep it within 1.5°C.

"Only by limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius do we have a fighting chance of preventing the irreversible collapse of the Greenland and West Antarctic ice sheets – and the catastrophes that accompany them," Guterres stated. He called for a 43% reduction in global emissions by 2030 and 60% by 2035, compared to 2019 levels. However, last year, global emissions rose by 1%, highlighting the challenges ahead.

Guterres called on the G20, responsible for 80% of global emissions, to take urgent action to reverse the current trend. He concluded, "They have a clear responsibility to reverse the current trend. It’s time to say 'enough'."