UN Secretary-General António Guterres has voiced concerns about the ongoing global heatwave in recent months, urging significant reductions in fossil fuel usage.
This call to action comes in response to a troubling increase in Earth’s average temperature. Data from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) under the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) indicate that on July 22, the Earth’s average temperature soared to 17.15 degrees Celsius. This temperature set a new record for the hottest day ever recorded on the planet, surpassing the previous high of 16.92 degrees Celsius set in August 2016.
Guterres pointed out, “Climate change is here. It is terrifying. And it is just the beginning.” He added, “The era of global warming has ended; the era of global boiling has arrived.”
He further noted, “For vast parts of North America, Asia, Africa, and Europe – it is a cruel summer. For the entire planet, it is a disaster. And for scientists, it is unequivocal – humans are to blame.” He expressed concern that “more than 70% of workers worldwide are exposed to extreme heat, threatening their safety.”
Guterres’s appeal was derived from a joint study conducted by the Climate Action Team under the Secretary-General’s office in collaboration with 10 organizations, including the WMO, the UN Refugee Agency, the UN Environment Programme, UNESCO, and the World Health Organization.