Speaking on Wednesday at the 75th anniversary conference of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in Geneva, António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, issued a stark warning that global warming is bringing the planet to the edge of collapse. (Reuters)
“Every one of the last ten years has been the hottest in history. Ocean heat is breaking records while decimating ecosystems. And no country is safe from fires, floods, storms and heatwaves,” he said. (Arab News)
Major threats identified
Guterres cited several alarming climate signals:
Oceans absorbing more heat than ever, disrupting marine ecosystems and compounding sea-level rise. (Reuters)
A spate of extreme weather events globally—including wildfires, floods and prolonged heat-waves—illustrating the “no country is safe” reality. (RTE)
More than 2 million deaths linked to weather, water and climate-related hazards over the past five decades, with some 90 % occurring in developing countries. (Reuters)
Call for early-warning systems
To blunt the worst impacts, Guterres urged nations to accelerate investment in multi-hazard Early Warning Systems, which he said can reduce damage by up to 30% when people receive notice 24 hours ahead of hazardous events. (Reuters) He noted that over 60 % of countries have introduced such systems since 2022, but emphasized that full global coverage by 2027 remains a key goal. (Reuters)
The broader message
Guterres framed the climate crisis as a “war on nature” that humanity is collectively losing unless urgent action is taken. He stressed that this is not just a scientific or environmental problem, but one of justice, health, and survival—particularly for vulnerable populations. (United Nations)
What happens next
The warning comes ahead of forthcoming international climate negotiations and underscores growing pressure for:
Rapid reduction of greenhouse-gas emissions.
Scaling up climate finance for adaptation and resilience, especially in lower-income nations.
Strengthening global cooperation on monitoring, forecasting and responding to climate hazards.
