UN head warns of ‘a rising tide of misery’ as sea levels rise
Speaking at the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, hitherto dominated by world leaders’ statements on global conflicts, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres raised the key issue of climate change.
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned, on Wednesday, September 25, 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.”