World on the verge of climate ‘abyss’, as temperature rise continues
(VOVWORLD) - 2020 was one of the three hottest years on record, marked by wildfires, droughts, floods, and melting glaciers, a United Nations report said on Monday, prompting the UN Chief to say the world stands “on the verge of the abyss”.
 UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. (Photo: Getty) |
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the world is setting records in tropical storms, the melting of ice sheets and glaciers, droughts, heat waves, and wildfires.
The report showed that the average global temperature in 2020 was about 1.2 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial period, putting 2020 in the top three hottest years on record, with 2016 and 2019, despite cooling La Niña conditions.
The ‘State of the Global Climate’ report confirms its preliminary findings on land and ocean temperatures, and comes on the eve of a US-led summit on Thursday and Friday at which Washington will seek to restore its credibility on climate change by making fresh pledges.