United States: The UN secretary-general António Guterres has warned that an increase in the pace at which sea levels are rising threatens “a mass exodus of entire populations on a biblical scale.”

Mr. Guterres stated that global sea levels have risen faster since 1900, and their relentless increase puts countries like Bangladesh, China, India, and the Netherlands at risk.

According to the UN chief, the climate crisis is causing sea levels to rise faster than they have in 3,000 years, bringing a “torrent of trouble” to almost a billion people, from London to Los Angeles and Bangkok to Buenos Aires.

Addressing the UN Security Council, Mr. Guterres stated that slashing carbon emissions, dealing with problems such as poverty that worsen the impact of the rising seas on communities, and developing new international laws to protect those made homeless and even stateless were all needed. The secretary -general added that “sea level rise was a threat multiplier that, by destroying lives, economies, and infrastructure, had dramatic implications for global peace and security.”

“Global average sea levels have risen faster since 1900 than over any preceding century in the last 3,000 years. The global ocean has warmed faster over the past century than at any time in the past 11,000 years,” Mr. Guterres observed.

According to the data cited by Mr. Guterres, the global mean sea level will rise by about 2 to 3 metres over the next 2,000 years if warming is limited to 1.5 degrees Celsius. The data published by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) showed that “with a 2-degree Celsius increase, seas could rise up to 6 metres, and with a 5-degree Celsius increase, seas could rise up to 22 metres.”

“Our world is hurtling past the 1.5-degree warming limit that a livable future requires and, with present policies, is careening towards 2.8 degrees, a death sentence for vulnerable countries,” Mr. Guterres remarked.

Significant sea level rise is already inevitable with current levels of global warming, but the consequences of failing to tackle the problem are “unthinkable.” “Low-lying communities and entire countries could disappear forever. We would witness a mass exodus of entire populations on a biblical scale. And we would see ever fiercer competition for fresh water, land, and other resources,” the UN chief further added.

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