“The era of global warming has ended; the era of global boiling has arrived,” declared UN Secretary-General António Guterres in a speech at the UN headquarters in New York City.
He highlighted new data from the European Union and the World Meteorological Organization, indicating July as the hottest month on record. President Biden, addressing this crisis, announced measures to protect workers and communities from extreme heat, including meetings with the mayors of Phoenix and San Antonio.
Phoenix has faced extreme heat, breaking a 1974 record with temperatures over 110 degrees Fahrenheit for consecutive days. Guterres emphasized that the intense heat in North America, Asia, Africa, and Europe is a direct result of climate change, a phenomenon progressing faster than expected.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres addresses the urgent need for climate action at the UN headquarters, warning of the unprecedented pace of global warming.He stressed the urgent need for dramatic climate action to limit global warming to 1.5° Celsius above preindustrial levels, as outlined in the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement.
The U.S. faced a severe heat wave, with cities like Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, and Boston under heat advisories.
Guterres called for immediate action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and urged fossil fuel companies to transition to clean energy. He also emphasized the importance of investing in adaptation measures to combat the effects of extreme weather.
To address worker safety, the Biden administration issued a Hazard Alert to protect workers from heat, noting that heat exposure has caused 436 work-related deaths since 2011.
Additionally, $7 million from the Inflation Reduction Act will enhance weather forecasting, and a $152 million investment will improve water storage in drought-affected areas.
Guterres called for developed countries to fulfill their climate support commitments to developing nations and urged a more aggressive use of the global financial system to combat climate change. “Humanity has unleashed destruction,” Guterres said, urging for action, not despair.