Islamabad, In a stark message for World Meteorological Day, the United Nations Secretary-General highlighted the dire state of the global climate, stressing the urgency for collective action. The annual observance this year comes against a backdrop of alarming climate records and the escalating impacts of climate change on global communities.

According to United Nations Pakistan, the latest State of the Global Climate report reveals a series of record-breaking climate phenomena in 2023, including unprecedented heat levels, sea levels, and ocean surface temperatures, along with a significant reduction in Antarctic sea ice. These climatic changes have led to widespread environmental disasters, including fires, floods, and droughts, adversely affecting lives, livelihoods, and economies around the world.

The Secretary-General underscored the pervasive threat of climate chaos to every region, country, and community on Earth, calling for a united front in climate action—the theme of this year’s World Meteorological Day. The message emphasized the need for a collective effort to adapt to the changing climate, including the implementation of an early-warning system for every person on Earth by 2027. The Secretary-General also advocated for climate justice for developing countries, which are disproportionately affected despite contributing the least to the crisis.

The call to action extends to governments, particularly the G20 nations, which are among the largest emitters of greenhouse gases, to lead the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. The Secretary-General stressed the importance of developed countries fulfilling their financial commitments to support climate action in developing nations. Furthermore, businesses and financial institutions are urged to reduce their carbon emissions in alignment with the target to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius and to halt the financing of fossil fuel development.

Acknowledging the critical role of meteorologists worldwide, the Secretary-General expressed gratitude for their contributions to climate action and welcomed the Global Greenhouse Gas Watch initiative, aimed at improving the tracking of emissions.

Describing the challenge of climate change as “the fight of our lives,” the Secretary-General appealed for global solidarity in the fight against climate change, emphasizing the necessity of building a future resilient to the impacts of a warming planet.