United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has issued a dire warning about the escalating climate crisis, urging nations to “Save Our Seas” as he highlighted the unprecedented scale of the threat posed by greenhouse gases and rising sea levels.
Addressing Pacific Island leaders in Nuku’alofa, Tonga, on Tuesday, Guterres described the situation as a “crazy” crisis of humanity’s own making, noting that “rising seas are a crisis entirely of humanity’s making” and warning that the problem is set to become “almost unimaginable in scale.” He emphasized that the root cause is the greenhouse gases—primarily from burning fossil fuels—that are driving global warming and causing the oceans to absorb the excess heat.
Nuku’alofa is hosting the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders Meeting, which brings together over 1,000 international delegates through August 30. The conference is focusing on climate change and its severe impact on the Pacific’s low-lying communities, which are among the most vulnerable in the world. Guterres, who last attended the Leaders Meeting in 2019, pointed out that with about 90 percent of the population living within 5 kilometers (3 miles) of the coast and an average elevation of just 1 to 2 meters (3.2 to 6.5 feet) above sea level, the Pacific Islands are especially at risk.
Guterres is also expected to visit Samoa during his time in the Pacific. He warned that without significant reductions in emissions, Pacific Islands could see an additional rise of at least 15 centimeters (6 inches) in sea levels by mid-century, leading to over 30 days of coastal flooding annually in some areas. He stressed that saving the Pacific is crucial for the entire world, urging global action to address the crisis before it is too late.
Among the region’s key climate adaptation projects is the Pacific Resilience Facility, a “Pacific-owned and led” financial institution aimed at helping local communities become more resilient to climate change. Scheduled to begin operations in 2025, the facility is currently facing a significant funding shortfall from international donors.
Guterres renewed his call for increased financial support from major emitters, particularly the Group of 20 (G20) nations, to aid the world’s most climate-vulnerable countries. “We need a surge in funds to deal with surging seas,” he said.
