“The era of global warming has ended; the era of global boiling has arrived.”
That’s what United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said on Thursday. The announcement came as new data from the European Union and the World Meteorological Organization revealed that July was officially the hottest month ever recorded.
“For vast parts of North America, Asia, Africa and Europe, it is a cruel summer,” Guterres said. “For the entire planet, it is a disaster.”
The impact of this relentless heatwave is already taking a toll on communities worldwide as temperatures soar to unprecedented levels in cities like Phoenix, Arizona, and San Antonio, Texas. Guterres shared that climate change is not a distant worry, but a current problem.
“For scientists, it is unequivocal — humans are to blame,” Guterres said. “All this is entirely consistent with predictions and repeated warnings. The only surprise is the speed of the change. Climate change is here. It is terrifying, and it is just the beginning.”
Guterres stressed that while progress has been made to address climate change conditions, it is not enough.
“We have seen some progress: a robust rollout of renewables, some positive steps from sectors such as shipping,” Guterres said. “But none of this is going far enough or fast enough. Extreme weather is becoming the new normal. All countries must respond and protect their people from the searing heat, fatal floods, storms, drought and raging fires that result.”
In response to the unprecedented heatwave, the White House issued a Hazard Alert to provide protections for workers under federal law. The U.S. government is also investing in improving weather forecasting to better prepare for future extreme weather events. With $7 million allocated from the Inflation Reduction Act, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is determined to enhance the accuracy and timeliness of weather information.
As the crisis escalates, President Biden has announced a $152 million investment to improve water storage capacity in drought-affected regions of California, Colorado, and Washington. This allocation, also from the IRA, aims to bolster water resources and build resilience against the intensifying drought conditions.
“The evidence is everywhere: Humanity has unleashed destruction,” Guterres said. “This must not inspire despair, but action.”
