On the eve of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28), the United Nations warns of the accelerating pace at which Antarctic sea ice is melting.

The UN Secretary-General once again called on countries to act to prevent a catastrophic rise in global temperatures. António Guterres spoke to reporters in New York on Monday on the eve of the United Nations climate change conference, called COP28, which begins later this week in Dubai. Over the weekend, Guterres visited Antarctica to see for himself “the deadly impact of the crisis caused by climate change.” Guterres warned that sea ice along Antarctica’s coast is now 1.5 million square kilometers below average for this time of year, while Antarctic sea ice is melting three times faster than in the early 1990s.

Secretary-General António Guterres: “It is absolutely shocking to stand on the ice of Antarctica and hear directly from scientists how quickly this ice is disappearing. […] This year, Antarctic sea ice reached a record low. This concerns us all. What happens in Antarctica doesn’t stay in Antarctica. “We live in an interconnected world.”