UN Secretary-General António Guterres has urged all countries to implement the Paris Agreement on climate change “with greater ambition”, pointing to scientific evidence warning of increased extreme weather events.
The Secretary-General made the plea at a press briefing in New York ahead of a trip on Saturday to the storm-ravaged Caribbean islands of Antigua, Barbuda and Dominica.
“We know that the world has the tools, the technologies and the wealth to address climate change but we must show more determination in moving towards a green, clean, sustainable energy future.
“Today and everyday, I am determined to ensure that the UN works to protect our common future and to seize the opportunities of climate action,” he affirmed.
Guterres also said he would be travelling to the Caribbean countries recently hit by back-to-back category 5 hurricanes to survey the damage and to assess what more the UN could do to help them recover.
Since the disasters struck, the UN and partners have delivered relief by air and the sea, reaching thousands across the region with food, water purification tablets, water storage tanks, tents, school kits, mosquito nets and cash assistance.
The UN also launched a 113.9 million dollar appeal to cover humanitarian needs for the immediate period ahead.
Within a span of few weeks, the Caribbean region was struck by major hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Maria and Jose that left terrible destruction in their wake.
He noted that over the past 30 years, the number of annual weather-related disasters nearly tripled, and economic losses increased five-fold.
Guterres said that with climate change warming the seas, resulting in more water vapour in the atmosphere, intensity of hurricanes had worsened considerably.
“Instead of dissipating, they pick up fuel as they move across the ocean,” he warned.
Guterres noted that the melting of glaciers and the thermal expansion of the seas would result to bigger storm surges and with more people living along coastlines and causing more damage.
He underlined the UN’s commitment to help all countries, in particular, small island states to adapt to climate change and strengthen resilience.
He called for innovative financing mechanisms to enable countries to cope with external shocks.