During a visit to the Pacific in 2019, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres posed waist-deep in water for a Time Magazine cover, dramatically highlighting the danger of rising seas. His latest appearance at the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) in Tonga from August 26 to 30, however, carried a more focused agenda.
While Mr. Guterres continues to draw attention to the existential threat facing island nations, analysts note a stronger push for actionable policies this time, supported by the Pacific bloc’s 18 member states. Instead of broad climate change discussions, the focus has shifted sharply to sea level rise.
The forum’s final communiqué emphasized the extensive impact of climate change, specifically identifying sea level rise as a severe threat to Pacific communities, particularly low-lying nations. Leaders agreed to elevate the issue at key international platforms such as the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), advocating for sea level rise to be a dedicated agenda item in UN discussions.
Earlier in the week, Mr. Guterres issued a global. He stressed the urgency of saving the Pacific region, asserting that global action is imperative to prevent disaster.
Dr. Meg Keen of the Lowy Institute’s Pacific Islands Program noted that Mr. Guterres’ visit strategically preceded several critical summits, including the UN Summit for the Future in September and COP29 in November, to build momentum and increase political pressure.
A recent UN technical report, released earlier this week, warned that sea levels could be rising faster than previously predicted, with the Pacific region particularly vulnerable. The report highlighted a 21cm rise in sea levels in Nuku’alofa, Tonga, between 1990 and 2020, nearly double the global average.
Dr. George Carter of the Australian National University Pacific Institute pointed out that while climate-related projects often focus on other areas like disaster response, sea level rise remains underfunded and under-researched. As a result, Pacific nations, especially Tuvalu, Kiribati, and the Marshall Islands, are leading efforts to put sea level rise on the global agenda.
The UN report also identified numerous global cities facing significant risk from rising seas, including New York, Tokyo, and Mumbai. While large economies are not immune to the impacts, developing countries remain most vulnerable, with Pacific nations pushing for stronger mechanisms to address loss and damage at COP29 later this year.
Mr. Guterres has emphasized that Pacific island nations are like “canaries in the coal mine”—the first to be impacted, but not the last—underscoring the urgent need for global action.
Source: CNA