UN chief Guterres sends ‘global SOS’ as Pacific Ocean level rises

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres issued a ‘global SOS’ on climate change and sea level rise on Tuesday while visiting Tonga (Polynesia) for a meeting of the Pacific Islands Forum, where the leaders of a group of 18 countries are meeting, including Australia and New Zealand.

Guterres’ trip coincided with a new report from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), warning that the region faces a “triple whammy” of threats: rising sea levels, ocean warming, and ocean acidification.

‘Save Our Seas’

Small island states in the Pacific are increasingly being hit hard by climate change. Rising sea levels, warming waters, and ocean acidification are increasing pressure on island life. 

In a speech, Guterres warned of the consequences of climate change, which are already noticeable on the ground. He issued an SOS – Save our Seas. “A global catastrophe is endangering this paradise in the Pacific,” Guterres said.

‘Our planet is cooking’

Climate change affects some 70 million people across hundreds of islands in the Pacific Ocean. They either have to adapt or sometimes have no choice but to leave the islands, although the islands together are responsible for only 0.02 percent of global CO2 emissions. “The small islands don’t contribute to climate change, but everything that happens because of climate change is multiplied here,” Guterres said.

80% of the world’s population is increasingly concerned about the devastating effects of climate change and wants more action on climate. The call is especially strongest in the poorest countries.

But why are those islanders hit so disproportionately hard? First of all, by the extreme rising of sea levels. Over the past thirty years, sea levels in the Pacific Ocean have risen by 15 centimeters – twice the global average. “The reason is clear,” Guterres said. “Greenhouse gases are cooking our planet, and the sea is taking the heat – literally.”

Extreme weather conditions

Flooding is a severe threat to most islands. Not only are houses at risk of being flooded or washed away, but the infrastructure on the islands is usually only five hundred meters from the water.

A second threat is a higher water temperature. Over the past forty years, ocean temperatures have risen by nearly half a degree per decade, causing changes in the weather, which is becoming increasingly extreme. In addition, warm water and increased levels of CO2 in the water cause ocean acidification, which affects marine ecosystems.

Time for climate action

Climate change is, therefore, a severe threat to islanders. More than 50,000 people in the region are forced to leave their homes yearly. That is why several island states have concluded agreements to accommodate people who have had to leave their islands due to climate change.

“Even though some sea level rise is inevitable, its scale, pace, and impact are not,” Guterres concluded. “That depends on our decisions.” So, he reiterated his calls, urging governments to step up climate action, cut greenhouse gas emissions drastically, and increase investments in climate adaptation.

‘The biggest emitters’

Mr. Guterres stressed the need to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C, which means “cutting global emissions 43 percent compared to 2019 levels by 2030, and 60 percent by 2035.” Last year though, global emissions rose 1%.

The Secretary-General repeated his long-standing appeal for G20 nations, “the biggest emitters”, to take a leading role in these efforts. “They have a clear responsibility to reverse the current trend. It’s time to say ‘enough’.”