On the cusp of the COP28 climate talks, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres visited frozen but rapidly melting Antarctica and said Thursday that intense action must be taken at the conference where countries will address their commitments to lowering emissions of planet-warming gases.
Quick Read
- Alarm at Rapid Ice Melt: U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed grave concern about the accelerating rate of ice melt in Antarctica, highlighting its catastrophic potential impacts.
- Antarctica’s Significance: Guterres emphasized the crucial role of Antarctica in the global climate system, referring to it as a “sleeping giant” that is now “waking up,” signaling urgent action is needed.
- COP28 Expectations: The Secretary-General underscored the upcoming COP28 climate talks in Dubai as a pivotal opportunity for countries to strengthen their commitments to reducing emissions and tackling global warming.
- Focus on Fossil Fuels and Renewables: Guterres called for decisive measures to phase out fossil fuels and boost investments in renewable energy sources and grid efficiency improvements.
- Sultan al-Jaber’s Role: Highlighting the significance of COP28 President Sultan al-Jaber’s background in the oil industry, Guterres suggested he has a unique responsibility to push the fossil fuel sector towards cleaner energy investments.
- Impact of Warming Temperatures: The warming of air and ocean temperatures is identified as a key factor behind the melting Antarctic ice, with implications for global climate regulation.
- West Antarctic Ice Sheet Concerns: Scientific studies have pointed to irreversible melting in parts of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, with potential for significant global sea level rise.
- Alarming Ice Shelf Reduction: Research has shown a dramatic reduction in Antarctic ice shelves, with some losing over half their ice since 1997, a clear indication of the rapid pace of climate change.
- Guterres’ Call to Action: The U.N. Secretary-General’s visit and statements serve as a call to action for the international community to take more robust steps in addressing climate change, particularly at the upcoming COP28 conference.
The Associated Press has the story:
A rapidly melting Antarctica gets the attention of UN chief before COP28
Newslooks- KING GEORGE ISLAND, Antarctica (AP)
On the cusp of the COP28 climate talks, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres visited frozen but rapidly melting Antarctica and said Thursday that intense action must be taken at the conference where countries will address their commitments to lowering emissions of planet-warming gases.
“We are witnessing an acceleration that is absolutely devastating,” Guterres said about the rate of ice melt in Antarctica, which is considered to be a “sleeping giant.”
“The Antarctic is waking up, and the world must wake up,” he added.
Guterres is on a three-day official visit to Antarctica. Chilean President Gabriel Boric joined him for an official visit to Chile´s Eduardo Frei Air Force Base on King George Island.
Guterres also was scheduled to visit the Collins and Nelson glaciers by boat.
He described the U.N. climate change conference that begins in Dubai next week as an opportunity for nations to “decide the phase-out of fossil fuels in an adequate time frame” to prevent the world from warming 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial temperatures.
Guterres said the COP28 conference also gives nations the chance to commit to more renewable energy projects and to improve energy efficiency of existing grids and technologies.
The U.N. chief also said he thinks that Sultan al-Jaber, the president of the upcoming climate talks and head of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, has a “bigger responsibility” to encourage the fossil fuel industry to make more clean energy investments because of his ties to the sector.
“He needs to be able to explain to all those that are responsible in the fossil fuel industry, and especially to the oil and gas industry that is making obscene profits all over the world, that this is the moment to use those profits instead of doubling down on fossil fuels,” Guterres said.
Warming air and ocean temperatures are causing Antarctic ice to melt. The frozen continent plays a significant role in regulating Earth’s climate because it reflects sunlight away and drives major ocean currents.
For years, scientists and environmentalists have kept an eye on the West Antarctic Ice Sheet as an important indicator of global warming. A study published in Nature Climate Change last month said warming has increased to the point that the ice sheet will now experience “unavoidable” melting regardless of how much the world reduces emissions of planet-warming gases like carbon dioxide.
The study’s lead author, Kaitlin Naughten, estimated that melting ice in Antarctica’s most at-risk areas could raise global sea levels by about 1.8 meters (5.9 feet) over the next few centuries.
Another study published in Science Advances, also last month, reported that nearly 50 Antarctic ice shelves have shrunk by at least 30% since 1997 and 28 of those have lost more than half their ice in that short period of time.
