United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres warned on Tuesday that climate change indicators reached unprecedented levels in 2023, pushing the Earth to the “edge of the abyss,” stating that there is still time “to save it.”
The latest report from the World Meteorological Organization on the state of the global climate indicates that “the world is on the edge of the abyss,” where “fossil fuel pollution is causing unprecedented climate chaos,” according to Guterres on the occasion of the report’s release.
The United Nations also warned that the past decade was the hottest ever recorded, resulting in unprecedented melting of ice rivers in 2023.
In this regard, World Meteorological Organization Secretary-General Petteri Taalas commented on the annual climate report: “Climate change is not just about temperatures.” He added, “What we witnessed in 2023, especially in terms of unprecedented ocean temperature rise and melting ice rivers, is of utmost concern.”
Just a few days ago, the European Environment Agency warned that Europe could face “catastrophic” conditions if it does not assess the climate risks it already faces, many of which have reached critical levels.
Agency Director Lena Ylä-Mononen emphasized during a press conference that “these events represent the new normal and must also serve as a wake-up call.”