On the frontlines of the global climate emergency

From New Zealand to Fiji, from Tuvalu to Vanuatu — Secretary-General António Guterres calls for urgent climate action to save Pacific island nations, and the world.

United Nations

The Secretary-General looks out over the Pacific Ocean. UN Photo/Mark Garten

“Over the past week, I have witnessed first-hand the impacts of climate change in the Pacific Island States. They contribute very little to the global climate emergency and yet, they are the ones that are being most affected. For some of them, climate change is now an existential threat.”

“What is remarkable about these countries is that while facing this enormous challenge, they have decided that they are not giving up. They are determined to find solutions and have developed ways to increase their resilience and adaptation. Not only that, but they are leading the way in reducing emissions and are an example that the rest of the world should follow.”

He also used his newly-launched Instagram account to post his impressions of what he was seeing.

New Zealand

In Auckland, the Secretary-General met with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, who he praised as a leader on climate action.

“I commended the Prime Minister’s visionary leadership on the global climate emergency, including the target of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 — a model for all countries to follow.”