UN chief says sea level rise threatens 'rising tide of misery' / Photo: Clement Sabourin - AFP
-
Fire in Northern China Apartment Building Kills 14
-
Solihull Hospital Performs First Robotic-Assisted Gynaecological Cancer Surgeries
-
Apple’s 20th Anniversary iPhone to Skip Action Button for Camera Control Integration
-
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang Admits Infidelity Amid Spy Investigation
-
Family of Woman Who Died at Voting Station Condemns Official Silence
-
Ted Scheinman’s Journey Through Depression and Electroconvulsive Therapy
-
Karen Wazen Launches First Standalone Boutiques in Cairo
-
Phoenix Symphony Resumes Performances Amid Financial Uncertainty
-
New 401k Gold IRA Investment Guide Explains the Best Way to Invest in Gold for Retirement (2026 Update)
-
Making Your Home Safer for Aging Parents: Accessibility Renovations That Add Value
-
InterContinental Hotels Group PLC Announces Transaction in Own Shares - November 09
-
Top Chef Winner Nicole Gomes Opens Lucky Lily Asian Brasserie at YVR
-
First Drive: 2027 BMW i760 xDrive Review
-
Marc Almond to Close Soft Cell Era After Final 'Danceteria' Tour
-
Gary, Indiana Blackout Exposes FEMA Relief Disparities Along Racial Lines
-
Malta Chamber of Commerce and FIMBank Sign Alliance Agreement to Boost Corporate Finance
-
Turkish Energy Minister Highlights Qatar as Key Partner for Regional and Global Energy Security
-
Rene Eyre Revisits Autobiographical Performance 'Say A Little Prayer' in London
-
London Museum Granted 24/7 License Ahead of November Opening
-
UAE's HCT Holds Record Graduation and Announces Major Training Expansion
UN chief says sea level rise threatens 'rising tide of misery'
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned on Wednesday that rising sea levels threaten to create "a rising tide of misery" for millions, with intense storm surges, coastal erosion and coastal flooding increasingly likely.
"Low-lying coastal zones are home to around 900 million people. Rising seas mean a rising tide of misery," he said at a summit on the threats posed by sea level rise.
"Greenhouse gasses -- overwhelmingly from burning fossil fuels -- are heating our planet, expanding seawater and melting ice."
Since the start of the 20th century, global-mean sea level has risen faster than over any prior century in at least the last 3,000 years, and the rate of increase is accelerating.
According to a study cited by the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, five nations -- the Maldives, Tuvalu, the Marshall Islands, Nauru and Kiribati -- may become uninhabitable by 2100, creating 600,000 stateless climate refugees.
Guterres warned of "communities swamped, fresh water contaminated, crops ruined, infrastructure damaged, biodiversity destroyed and economies decimated -- with sectors such as fisheries, agriculture and tourism pummeled."
"We cannot leave the hopes and aspirations of billions of people dead in the water."
M.King--AT
