Climate change concerns raised at UNGA, leaders urged not to ignore it amid COVID-19

While the COVID-19 pandemic has continued to dominate the 75th United Nations General Assembly, some world leaders also acknowledged the alarming climate change situation that the world now finds itself in. Noting that environmental degradation will prove to be a greater catastrophe in the long run, the leaders echoed that if COVID-19 doesn’t end the world, "climate change will.”

While Fiji’s Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama said the world is witnessing a version of “Environmental Armageddon”, the Alliance of Small Island States and the Least Developed Countries Group said, “In another 75 years, many... members may no longer hold seats at the United Nations if the world continues on its present course.” 

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Fiji PM had also cited the devastating wildfires in the United States that have taken hundreds of lives along with the loss of glaciers that amounts greater than many islands. According to Bainimarama, 2020 was meant to be the year the world leaders “took back our planet” but the unprecedented global health crisis diverted the focus as well as the resources. Meanwhile, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the UN global climate summit has been postponed to 2021 and the climate activists including Greta Thunberg have resumed protests. 

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Ice melting will increase sea-level irrespective of Paris goals

While the main goal of the 2015 Paris climate accord is to limit the rise in global temperature to 2 degrees Celsius, researchers have found out that the world has warmed up another 0.9 degrees Celcius. A recent study even revealed that the melting Antarctic ice sheet will end up increasing the sea levels by at least two and a half metres even if the goals of the 2015 Paris Accord are met by countries.

Researchers have said that Antarctica is “committed to becoming virtually ice-free” and in some instances, these losses will gradually become irreversible leading to the disappearance of many coastal cities and cultural heritage sites. 

The study said, “In particular, the West Antarctic Ice Sheet does not regrow to its modern extent until temperatures are at least one degree Celsius lower than pre-industrial levels. Our results show that if the Paris Agreement is not met, Antarctica’s long-term sea-level contribution will dramatically increase and exceed that of all other sources.”

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Inputs/Image-Representative: AP