Stop Global Warming To Turn Tide On Sea Level Rise: UNGA President
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United Nations: UN Member States convened Wednesday to address the critical issue of rising global sea levels, which are increasing faster than at any point in the last 3,000 years.
UN General Assembly President Philemon Yang emphasized the urgency of the situation, noting that sea levels are projected to rise by 20 centimeters between 2020 and 2050, potentially displacing up to 1.2 billion people.
Yang highlighted the severe impacts on livelihoods, settlements, and infrastructure, particularly for island populations and coastal communities.
He called for international collaboration to enhance resilience, reduce disaster vulnerability, and develop effective climate adaptation strategies, stressing the need to combat global warming by limiting temperature rise to no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres underscored the necessity for “drastic action” to reduce emissions and protect lives. He advocated for early warning systems by 2027 and for G20 nations, responsible for roughly 80% of global emissions, to lead new climate action plans aligned with the 1.5°C goal.
Guterres also emphasized the importance of financial resources, urging a strong finance outcome at the upcoming COP29 conference in Azerbaijan, and calling for significant contributions to the new Loss and Damage Fund to assist developing nations.
Former General Assembly President Dennis Francis expressed optimism about the meeting as a starting point for an ambitious declaration planned for September 2026, aimed at securing the rights and sovereignty of affected countries and communities.
He stressed the need for greater support for climate adaptation, particularly for vulnerable communities, as climate financing often fails to reach the local level and can burden disaster-stricken countries with debt.
The Prime Minister of Tuvalu, Feleti Teo, painted a stark picture of the existential threat posed by sea level rise to small island developing nations.
He described the dire impacts on water supplies, agriculture, and community cohesion, warning that many islands could become uninhabitable. Teo emphasized that these challenges are not distant projections but current realities.
EU Climate Action Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra highlighted the dual necessity of mitigation and building resilience. He reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to achieving climate neutrality by 2050 and stressed the importance of continued efforts toward net-zero emissions.
However, he acknowledged that reducing emissions alone would not suffice in the face of rising climate risks, necessitating increased resilience efforts. Hoekstra assured vulnerable communities of the EU’s ongoing support in their struggle against climate change impacts.
