UN chief issues SOS on rising sea levels

By Sharon Kimathi, Energy and ESG Editor, Reuters Digital

Hello,

Today’s newsletter is all about one of life’s precious resources – water.

The source of all life is now turning into a source of destruction, as international agencies issue a stark warning about the impact of rising sea levels in the Pacific Ocean, while Bangladesh, Sudan and Alaska deal with the aftermath of deadly downpours and landslides.

Speaking to reporters in Tonga where the Pacific Islands Forum is being held, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres issued a warning that ocean temperatures are rising in the Pacific Islands at three times the rate worldwide, and its population was “uniquely exposed” to the impact of rising sea levels.

“I am in Tonga to issue a global SOS – Save Our Seas – on rising sea levels,” he said.

Guterres highlighted the findings of a report that showed the South West Pacific was worst hit by sea level rises, in some places by more than double the global average in the past 30 years.

Also on my radar today:

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said ocean temperatures are rising in the Pacific Islands at three times the rate worldwide. Wang Lili/Pool via REUTERS

A World Meteorological Organization (WMO) report showed that sea level rises in the Pacific Ocean are outstripping the global average, imperiling low-lying island states.

The continued burning of fossil fuels melts ice sheets, while warmer oceans cause water molecules to expand, contributing to sea level rise.

“Human activities have weakened the capacity of the ocean to sustain and protect us and – through sea level rise – are transforming a lifelong friend into a growing threat,” said WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo.

Guterres said that, without cuts to global emissions, the Pacific Islands can expect an additional sea level rise of 15 cm (5.9 inches) by 2050 and 30 days a year of coastal flooding.

“Rising seas are amplifying the frequency and severity of storm surges and coastal flooding. These floods swamp coastal communities. Ruin fisheries. Damage crops. Contaminate fresh water. All this puts Pacific Island nations in grave danger,” he said.

Over 34 hazards like storms and floods were reported in the Pacific region in 2023, resulting in more than 200 deaths, the WMO report said, adding that only a third of small island developing states had early warning systems.

Storms and floods have also hit other areas around the world such as Sudan, Bangladesh and Alaska this week.

Torrential rains caused floods that burst through the Arbaat Dam, wiped out over 20 villages and left at least 30 people dead in eastern Sudan, the United Nations said, devastating a region already reeling from months of civil war.

Elsewhere, the death toll from devastating floods caused by relentless monsoon rain and overflowing rivers in Bangladesh has risen to 23, with around 1.24 million families stranded across 11 districts, officials said.

“Countries like Bangladesh with negligible emissions and whose people have shown super resilience deserve immediate funds to address the impacts of climate change and frequent disasters,” said Farah Kabir, director of ActionAid Bangladesh.

“We need to recover from the losses and damage we have faced, as well as build resilience to future impacts and take on green development pathways.”

Guterres issued a similar statement about the loss and damage fund to help poor nations cope with costly climate disasters which was approved at last year’s U.N. climate summit.

“Developed countries must deliver on their finance commitments – including the commitment to double adaptation finance to at least $40 billion a year by 2025,” Guterres said.

Carola Dalli and Salvatore Celauro fill containers with water from a fountain following a drought on the Italian island of Sicily, in Agrigento, Italy. REUTERS/Louiza Vradi

University School of Professional Studies, shares his thoughts on the global groundwater crisis:

“The global groundwater crisis is the result of multiple political, demographic, economic and environmental factors. 

“Groundwater needs replenishment principally from rains that fall on permeable recharge zones with gravity carrying the water to underground streams. If development paves over those zones, groundwater used by farms and residents is not replaced. 

“Political battles with economically powerful companies like Poland Spring have defeated state and local efforts to regulate the use of groundwater. 

“Groundwater suffers as a political issue because it is not visible to the average person. If an above-ground source of water is running low or is polluted, anyone can see it. 

“When groundwater is depleted, the average person might not see a problem until their well runs dry. Additionally, climate change has changed weather and rainfall patterns, which may cause some sources of groundwater to be depleted or cause some to be overwhelmed by too much rain. 

“Finally, groundwater is becoming polluted, requiring filtration prior to use.

“As New York City grew, groundwater became too polluted to be used, so the city built a multi-billion-dollar reservoir system to the north with huge water tunnels to carry the water to the city.

“If the world’s groundwater is depleted or polluted, human survival might require a similar response throughout our planet.” 

Emergency crews in the Alaska tourist hub of Ketchikan braced for more landslides after a large, rain-drenched slope gave way on Sunday, killing one person, injuring three others and leaving dozens of homes damaged and without power.

Photos from the aftermath of the slide showed a wide tract of a steep, thickly wooded hillside stripped of vegetation, and a tangle of twisted, broken pine trees and other debris that lay heaped against several buildings at the bottom of the slope.

Flofy rides a wave as she competes at “Surf-A-Thon” in Del Mar, California, U.S. REUTERS/Mike Blake

Today’s spotlight ends the newsletter in a lighter, more hopeful note as dogs in California are practicing their wave-riding techniques ahead of the annual Surf Dog Surf-A-Thon, as pooches and their owners try out soft surfboards, specialized flotation devices, and ocean safety guidelines ahead of the Sept. 8 event.

The annual contest is held in Del Mar, just north of San Diego, and hosted by the Helen Woodward Animal Center, a San Diego-area animal shelter whose motto is “people help animals and animals help people.”

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