Sea Level Rise and Warming in the Southwest Pacific, UN Warns of Increasing Risks

(Central News Agency, Geneva, July 7, Comprehensive Foreign News) The United Nations World Meteorological Organization (WMO), headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, warned today that the risks posed by sea level rise, ocean warming, and marine heatwaves to the Southwest Pacific region are "increasingly severe".

According to Agence France-Presse, the WMO stated in its "State of the Climate in the Southwest Pacific 2025" report that between 1999 and 2025, sea levels in the region rose at an average rate of 3.7 millimeters per year, threatening vulnerable coastal communities and low-lying island nations.

The report also noted that 2025 was the second warmest year on record for the Southwest Pacific region, second only to 2024, and that "extreme weather caused widespread chaos, economic losses, and casualties."

The WMO pointed out that the extent of marine heatwaves in 2025 was the most widespread ever recorded in a year without an El Niño event. As experts warn of a potential strong El Niño in 2026, the high temperatures in 2025 are also a worrying sign.

The regional reports issued by the WMO are intended to provide scientific support for decision-making and disaster risk reduction. (Intern Editor: Luo Yien / Editor: Yang Zhaoyan) 0707115

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