"I am in Tonga to issue a global SOS—Save Our Season rising sea levels," he said, while speaking at the Pacific Islands Forum. This highlights the urgency of the situation facing Pacific Islands, which are on the front lines of climate change impacts.
"The ocean is overflowing because of climate change," he said, referring to rising sea levels caused by the rapid rise in ocean temperatures, which is three times the global average in the Pacific Islands.
Guterres stated, "Half the infrastructure is within 500 meters of the sea," illustrating the vulnerability of Pacific Island nations to the impacts of rising seas and extreme weather.
"The reason is clear: greenhouse gases overwhelmingly generated by burning fossil fuels are cooking our planet. And the sea is taking the heat—literally," indicating that human activity is the primary driver of climate change and its consequences on the oceans.
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