During a visit to Samoa, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres issued a stark warning that some Pacific territories are facing potential “annihilation” due to climate change-induced threats such as cyclones, ocean heatwaves, and rising sea levels.
He emphasized that the survival of Pacific islands hinges on limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels—a goal agreed upon by nearly 200 nations in the 2015 Paris climate accord, but one that the world is not currently on track to achieve.
Guterres highlighted the grave danger posed by rising sea levels, which are occurring even faster in the Pacific than the global average, creating an existential threat to millions of islanders.
Despite the Pacific region contributing only 0.02 percent of global carbon emissions, its people are on the front lines of the climate crisis, enduring severe weather events and economic devastation.
He called on wealthier nations to fulfill their commitments to assist developing countries in managing the consequences of climate change, underscoring the urgent need for international action to protect vulnerable regions like the Pacific islands.
