Further warming of the planet will have a substantial impact on the global climate system, including that of Small Island Developing States (SIDS), like Fiji.
Acting director of Fiji Meteorological Service Terry Atalifo made the comments after the release of the World Meteorological Organization’s (WMO) Provisional State of Global Climate in 2022 report at the COP27 meeting that is presently in progress in Egypt.
The report states in the past eight years is on track to be the eight warmest years on record.
“There is a lot at stake for Small Island Developing States (SIDS), like Fiji,” Mr Atalifo said.
“With every increment of further warming expected to have substantial impact on the global climate system.
“The greater the warming, the worse the impacts. It is essential that the COP27 deliver to limit warming below 1.5 degree Celsius to prevent existential threat to SIDS.”
The WMO secretary-general Prof Petteri Taalas said the rate of sea level rise has doubled in the past 30 years.
“Although we still measure this in terms of millimetres per year, it adds up to half to one metre per century and that is a long-term and major threat to many millions of coastal dwellers and low-lying states,” he said.
