New York: Europe and the Arabs
Days before the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) was held in the UAE, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres visited the areas where glaciers are melting in Antarctica.
From there, the Secretary-General called on countries to “act now to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius, protect people from climate chaos, and end the age of fossil fuels.”
“Antarctica has been called a sleeping giant,” Guterres said. “This giant has been awakened by climate chaos.”
It is noteworthy that Antarctic sea ice is at its lowest level ever. New statistics indicate that in September the extent of sea ice was 1.5 million square kilometers less than average for this time of year.
This area is approximately equivalent to the area of Portugal, Spain, France, and Germany combined.
What happens in Antarctica will not stay there
Guterres pointed out that the Greenland ice sheet is also melting rapidly, losing more than 250 gigatons of ice annually.
He added: "All of this heralds a worldwide catastrophe. What happens in Antarctica does not stay in Antarctica. What happens thousands of miles away has a direct impact here."
The Secretary-General continued: “We live in an interconnected world. Fossil fuel pollution is warming our planet, unleashing climate chaos in Antarctica. The Southern Ocean has absorbed the majority of the heat from global warming. This means that ice is melting in the ocean at a rapid rate Standard".
Mr. Guterres noted that melting ice means sea levels are rising at record rates, directly endangering the lives and livelihoods of people in coastal communities around the world.
He warned that this poses an existential threat to some small island states.
Trapped in a deadly loop
The Secretary-General said that, if we do not change course, we are heading towards a catastrophic three degrees Celsius rise in temperatures by the end of the century compared to the pre-industrial period, “which means the loss of almost the entire West Antarctic ice sheet. This alone could "Ultimately leading to a rise in sea levels of about five metres." He warned that we were "trapped in a deadly loop" and went on to say: "Ice reflects the sun's rays. As the ice disappears, more heat is absorbed into the Earth's atmosphere. This means more heat, which means more storms, floods, fires and droughts around the world." "More melting. Which means more heating. This destruction is a direct result of our addiction to fossil fuels."
The Secretary-General sent a “clear message” to the leaders who will meet at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28), where he said:
“Break this cycle and take action now: to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C, protect people from climate chaos, and end the age of fossil fuels. We must not allow hopes for a sustainable planet to fade.”
The Secretary-General will return, accompanied by Chilean President Gabriel Boric, to the Fray base. Tomorrow, he will visit Professor Julio Escudero's scientific base, where he will listen to a briefing from scientists there before returning to New York tomorrow, Sunday.