UN Secretary General:Climate Change Spiraling Out of Control

mohmed 3 months ago

The Secretary General of the United Nations (UN) has issued a grave warning, stating that climate change is spiraling out of control, following an analysis of unofficial data revealing that the previous week was the hottest on record globally.

Alarming Climate Change Trends Highlighted by UN Secretary General

Figures released by the US National Centres for Environmental Prediction indicate that the average temperature worldwide reached 17.18°C on Tuesday, surpassing the previous day's record of 17.01°C. Antonio Guterres expressed concern, emphasizing the need for urgent action, stating that the recent temperature records demonstrate the catastrophic situation that awaits if key measures continue to be delayed.

UN Secretary General Warns of Escalating Climate Change as Data Shows Record-High Temperatures

Data released by the University of Maine supports these findings, revealing that the average temperature for the week leading up to Wednesday was 0.04°C higher than any previous week in the 44 years of recorded history. These remarks from the UN Secretary General coincide with the UAE's preparations to host the Cop28 climate-change conference later this year. China has already experienced four distinct heatwaves in the past month, while extreme heat in India has tragically resulted in numerous fatalities. Additionally, North America has witnessed nearly 20,000 wildfires this year, adversely affecting air quality for nearly 100 million individuals due to dry forest conditions.

Unprecedented Heatwaves and Urgent Warnings: Climate Change's Alarming Impact on Bangladesh and the UAE

In Bangladesh's capital city of Dhaka, temperatures reached their highest point in 60 years, reaching 40°C, leading to power outages and school closures. In the UAE, residents were urged to exercise extra caution as temperatures approached 50°C. Dr. Diana Francis, head of the environmental and geophysical sciences lab at Khalifa University in Abu Dhabi, warned about the escalating impacts of climate change. She highlighted that global warming is rapidly accelerating, evident from extreme temperatures in the United States, severe flooding in Spain, and record-low sea ice extent. Dr. Francis also emphasized that climate change will continue to exacerbate extreme weather events, even if emissions start to decrease in the coming years.

Middle East and Arabian Peninsula Facing Accelerated Warming and Urgent Need for Climate Adaptation

The Middle East and the Arabian Peninsula region have experienced twice the rate of warming compared to the rest of the world over the past two decades, as noted by Dr. Francis. This accelerated warming leaves the region with less time to adapt to the consequences of global warming, such as scorching summer temperatures, intensified heatwaves, heavy rainfall causing floods during winter, and severe dust storms stemming from prolonged droughts , Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, the President-designate for Cop28 and the UAE's Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, emphasized the importance of supporting developing nations vulnerable to climate change-related extreme events. During a visit to Pakistan, he stressed that at Cop28, the global focus must prioritize the needs and aspirations of the people, ensuring their voices are heard and that ambitious actions are taken in response to their demands.