UN: Sea level rise threatens ‘biblical proportions’ outcome

UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned on Tuesday of the risk of an exodus of “biblical proportions” due to rising sea levels caused by global warming and called for “filling gaps” in international law, especially regarding refugees.

“The danger is especially acute for the nearly 900 million people living in low-lying coastal areas, one in ten people on Earth,” he stressed. Anthony Guterres before the Security Council.

“Communities living in low-lying areas and entire countries could disappear forever. We will witness a mass exodus of entire nations of biblical proportions,” he added.

“Hard Blows”

Some small, sparsely populated island nations are in danger of extinction. But the impact of rising sea levels caused by melting glaciers, expanding oceans due to warmer temperatures, and now mostly due to the melting of the polar caps, goes much further.

“Whatever the scenario, countries like Bangladesh, China, India and the Netherlands are at risk,” he warned. Anthony Guterres.

“Mega-cities on all continents will suffer severe consequences such as Cairo, Lagos, Maputo, Bangkok, Dhaka, Jakarta, Mumbai, Shanghai, Copenhagen, London, Los Angeles, New York, Buenos Aires and Santiago,” he explained. .

According to climatologists from UN (IPCC), sea levels rose 15–25 cm between 1900 and 2018 and are expected to rise another 43 cm by 2100 on a planet where temperatures are rising by 2ºC per year compared to the pre-industrial era.

However, it can increase by 84 cm if the planet warms up to +3°C or +4°C.

The rise of water, in addition to the lowering of individual sections, is accompanied by an increase in storms and floods in coastal areas.

“Destructive Challenges”

In this context, the population that will be forced to leave the country, Anthony Guterres He called for “filling the gaps in the existing legal framework” at the global level.

“This should include the refugee law,” he insisted. But it is also necessary to find solutions for the future of states that will completely lose their land territory.

He also believed that the Security Council UN it has an “important role” to play in “tackling the devastating security challenges posed by rising water levels.”

This is a contentious issue within the agency.

For example, in 2021 Russia vetoed a resolution establishing a common link between global warming and security in the world, a resolution supported by a majority of the members of this Council.

(According to AFP)

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