Published on: Dec 11, 2020.
United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres issued a threatening warning on climate change with the message that nature needs to be restored immediately and that humans are the roots of its catastrophe. “Humanity is waging war on nature, This is suicidal. Nature always strike back and it is already doing so with growing force and fury” Guterres said in the address delivered at Columbia University on Dec 2. His message follows a year that been full of unprecedented global issues which he posed frankly in the address. “We are facing devastating pandemic, new heights of global heating, new low of ecological degradation and new setbacks in our work towards global goals for more sustainable development” Guterres said.
In his address Guterres listed the most pressing climate concerns: the collapse of biodiversity, disappearance of ecosystems, speed of deserts, loss of forest, plastics waste in oceans, dying coral reefs, air and water pollution and that 75% of new human infections disease are zoonotic. On the same day as the address, two new reports from the world meteorological organization and the United Nations Environment Programme were released.
The world meteorological organizations animal climate report showed that the global mean temperature in 2020 is on track to be one of the three warmest on record despite developing La Nina conditions, which are episodes of below-average sea surface temperatures. Also warming up are oceans with 82% of the ocean experiencing at least one marine heat wave, which endangers marine life and the communities that survive on it. When oceans become warmer its volume increase and with the melting of Greenland and glaciers all over the world, sea levels have risen.
Guterres described apocalyptic fires and floods, cyclones and hurricanes seasons provide evidence of these dangerous consequences. Even Covid-19 lockdowns carbon dioxide levels are still rising and hitting record highs.
“In 2019 carbon dioxide levels in 2020, the upward trends has continued despite the pandemic methane soared even higher – to 260% Nitrous Oxide, powerful green house gas, a gas that harms the Ozone layer, has escalated by 123% meanwhile climate policies are yet rise to the challenge” Guterres said.
Whether or not it is too late to change the environments current state is solely based on how humans act towards fixing it, specifically after the covid-19 pandemic. “Making peace with nature is the defining task of the 21st century. It must be the top priority for everyone, everywhere. In this context, the recovery from the pandemic is an opportunity” Guterres said. This generation can contribute to helping the planet by ticking the “green switch” this means relying on a sustainable economy driven by renewable energies that will create a cleaner and healthier future. “An inclusive world will help ensure that people can enjoy better health and the full respect of their human rights and live with dignity on a healthy planet. Covid recovery and our planets repair must be the two sides of same coin,” Guterres said.