Secretary General António Guterres told an event on the sidelines of the conference dedicated to the conservation of the world’s glaciers for which new data released by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) shows that global mean sea level has risen faster since 1900, “more than any previous century in the last 3,000 years.”
‘Permanently deleted’
He said that “lowland communities and entire countries can be permanently deleted. We will witness mass movements of the entire population – and fierce competition for water and land.”
Furthermore, natural disasters will simply accelerate worldwide, including more deadly floods, droughts and landslides.
Glaciers have had an extraordinary influence on human evolution, creating the lands we all call home and extending over 10% of the Earth’s surface.
‘Water tower of the world’
The “Water Tower of the World”, representing the largest freshwater reservoir available, supports our nutrition, health, economy and energy production, while providing the snowmelt to supply water for one in four people on the planet.
“But these silent giants are face a rude awakening,” warned Mr. Guterres. “Human activity is pushing our planet’s temperature to dangerous new heightsin the form of global warming, turning glaciers, into canaries in coal mines, he said.
“Losing these giants would be a big deal to our world”, continued the head of the United Nations, calling for more action to sound the alarm.
A mountain glacier is shrinking due to rising temperatures and less snowfall in Kargil district, India.
‘Act like one’
“All of country must act as one to protect people and communities alike.”
He called for more investment in climate-resilient buildings, infrastructure and pipelines, as well as conservation policies that protect water sources and ecosystems.
He called for strengthening institutional capacity and integrating risk-reduction measures ensuring everyone in the world is protected by life-saving early warning systems combat hazardous weather or climate events by 2027 – an already well underway UN “Early Warning for All” initiative.
“Let’s stop global warming from happening. Let’s help all countries build a more resilient future”, Mr. Guterres stated.
“As we look to the International Year of Glacier Conservation in 2025, let’s act now to mobilize greater political, private and community will to preserve our glaciers and all they offer us.
See below the speech of the head of the United Nations to open the Conference on Water:
