UN Secretary-General Urges Global Action to Reduce Fossil Fuels Amid Extreme Heat Crisis

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - UN Secretary-General António Guterres launched a global call for action and concerted effort to enhance international cooperation to address extreme heat. The new initiative was launched in a week which saw the three warmest days recorded on Earth in recent history, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said in a statement. 

The WMO recorded, on 22 July 2024, the daily global average temperature reached a new record high at 17.16°C and on 23 July, the preliminary value was 17.15°C. On 21 July, the temperature record was 17.09°C. All three days were warmer than the previous record of 17.08°C, set only last year on 6 July 2023.

Guterres has called on all nations to expedite the reduction of fossil fuel usage. This urgent plea was highlighted in a recent report "Call to Action on Extreme Heat," released on Thursday, July 25, 2024, at 12:30 PM New York time (23:30 WIB).

The report represents a collaborative effort supported by Guterres, incorporating expertise and perspectives from ten specialized UN entities: FAO, ILO, OCHA, UNDRR, UNEP, UNESCO, UN-Habitat, UNICEF, WHO, and WMO. This marks the first collaborative initiative of its kind.

“Earth is becoming hotter and more dangerous for everyone, everywhere,” said Mr Guterres, adding that “Billions of people are facing an extreme heat epidemic -- wilting under increasingly deadly heatwaves, with temperatures topping 50 degrees Celsius around the world.  That’s 122 degrees Fahrenheit.  And halfway to boiling”. 

The report warns that billions worldwide are at risk from worsening heatwaves, primarily driven by human-induced climate change and fossil fuel use. Extreme heat adversely impacts economies, widens inequalities, hinders Sustainable Development Goals, and results in numerous deaths.

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), and other entities have documented a rapid increase in the scale, intensity, frequency, and duration of extreme heat events. These events are devastating economies, widening inequalities, undermining the Sustainable Development Goals, and causing significant fatalities, estimated at nearly half a million annually—approximately 30 times more than tropical cyclones.

"Our Earth is running an unprecedentedly high fever," stated WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo. "In addition to this week's three new global daily temperature records, we have seen monthly temperature records for 13 successive months."

"Widespread, intense, and extended heatwaves have hit communities on every continent. At least ten countries have recorded temperatures of more than 50°C in multiple locations this year. Many locations have seen daytime maximum temperatures exceeding 40°C and dangerously high minimum overnight temperatures," she added.

There is optimism, as the report notes that heat illness and deaths are preventable and many impacts can be minimized with targeted economic and social policies and concrete actions, including public awareness campaigns.

"Nations must immediately ramp up concrete measures to phase out fossil fuels and achieve historic global milestones, year after year, decade after decade. This includes contributing to a 30% reduction in global fossil fuel production and consumption by 2030 and honoring commitments made at COP28 to end deforestation, double energy efficiency, and quadruple renewable energy," stated Guterres.

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