20/03/2024
*The pace of environmental changes is rapid and alarming, according to the United Nations.*
March 20, 2024
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, in a recent video message released on the occasion of the publication of the latest report on the warmest year recorded up to 2023, stated that the pace of environmental changes is rapid and alarming.
According to the latest report by the United Nations, declaring 2023 as the warmest year on record so far, it has been revealed that six other records were broken in terms of environmental changes during that year.
The State of the Global Climate 2023 report, released by the United Nations agency for meteorology (World Meteorological Organization) in Geneva, stated that during the past year, the average global temperature exceeded the industrial era average by 1.45 degrees Celsius (2.61 degrees Fahrenheit).
The report also designated the past decade as the warmest decade on record so far. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, in his video message released on the occasion of the report's publication, stated that the pace of environmental changes is rapid and alarming, which is very concerning.
The Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization, Petteri Taalas, while releasing the report in Geneva, stated that despite scientific knowledge about climate change for more than five decades, our generation has missed the opportunity to slow down the pace of these changes.
He emphasized that actions regarding climate change should not be undertaken solely for short-term economic benefits but should be aimed at the well-being and prosperity of future generations. He designated the current situation regarding climate change as a red alert.
According to the report, environmental changes are much higher than the average air temperature, including an unusual increase in sea temperature, an increase in sea level, accelerated melting of glaciers, and a decline in sea ice in the Southern Ocean.
During 2023, the entanglement of marine heatwaves caused significant damage to marine ecosystems and food systems, with record rates of glacier melting observed in both western North America and Europe since 1950.
Similar situations have been observed in mountain ranges such as the Alps, for example, where the volume of snow on mountain peaks has decreased by approximately 10 percent over the past two years.
The area covered by snow in the Southern Ocean decreased by 1 million square kilometers compared to the previous record year, equivalent to the combined area of France and Germany.
According to the report, the concentrations of three major greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide, reached record levels in 2022 and increased further in 2023, along with a significant increase in severe food insecurity worldwide.
Under the auspices of the World Food Program, the number of people severely affected by food insecurity in 2023 reached 330 million, compared to 149 million before the COVID-19 pandemic. The report mentions positive measures regarding climate change, stating that in 2023, there was an approximately 50 percent increase in renewable capacity, totaling 510 gigawatts, which is the highest rate in two decades.
Additionally, effective multi-hazard early warning systems have been advanced to mitigate the effects of disasters. The role of systems that timely alert the impacts of disasters and reduce the resulting damages is of extraordinary importance.
According to the report, from 2021 to 2022, global funding for environmental-related funds doubled compared to the 2019-2020 level, reaching nearly $13 trillion. However, this only accounts for one percent of global GDP.
To achieve the goal of keeping the global average temperature rise below 1.5 degrees Celsius, annual climate finance investments should increase by more than six times, reaching approximately $9 trillion by 2030 and an additional $100 trillion by 2050. Between 2025 and 2100, a substantial amount of $12.66 trillion may be required in this regard.
This report was issued before the Climate Ministry Summit in Copenhagen, where meteorologists and ministers from around the world will gather, followed by a possible agreement on financing at COP28 in Dubai. Subsequently, financing agreements may also be discussed at COP29 in Baku.
