UN Chief Issues Urgent Call as Pacific Sea Levels Rise

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned of a “worldwide catastrophe” threatening Pacific Islands due to rising sea levels, which are increasing at nearly double the global average, CNN reported yesterday.

Speaking in Tonga, Guterres emphasized the urgent need for global financial support for vulnerable nations facing the human-caused climate crisis. Reports reveal that sea surface temperatures in the Southwest Pacific have risen three times faster than the global average since 1980, while marine heat waves have doubled in frequency.

The Pacific Islands, averaging only 1 to 2 meters above sea level, are particularly at risk, with 90% of their populations living near the coast. If global temperatures rise by 3 degrees Celsius, the region could see an additional 15 centimeters of sea level rise by 2050 and more than 30 days of coastal flooding annually. Guterres urged immediate action to improve early warning systems and cut emissions to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, stating, “Surging seas are coming for us all.”