A rapidly melting Antarctica gets the attention of UN chief ahead of COP28 climate talks

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United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stands outside the Chilean Eduardo Frei Air Force Base in King George Island, Antarctica, Thursday, Nov. 23, 2023. Guterres’ visit to Antarctica comes days before nations converge in Dubai for COP28 to address climate change. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz)

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Surrounded by soldiers, Chile’s President Gabriel Boric, center right, and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres sit on a boat during an official visit to Chile´s Eduardo Frei Air Force Base at King George Island, South Shetlands, Antarctica, Thursday, Nov. 23, 2023. Guterres is in a three-day official visit to Antarctica. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz)

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United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, center, is followed by Chile’s President Gabriel Boric, center right, upon their arrival to Chile´s Eduardo Frei Air Force Base at King George Island, South Shetlands, Antarctica, Thursday, Nov. 23, 2023. Guterres’ visit to Antarctica comes days before nations converge in Dubai for COP28 to address climate change. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz)

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Chile’s President Gabriel Boric, left, and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres chat before taking a flight to Antarctica, at the Chabunco military air base in Punta Arenas, Chile, Thursday, Nov. 23, 2023. Guterres is in a three-day official visit to Antarctica. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz)

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A Chilean Navy airplane overflies Fildes Bay near King George Island, South Shetlands, Antarctica, Thursday, Nov. 23, 2023. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz)

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Papua penguins walk at the Bernardo O’Higgins Chilean military base in Antarctica, Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2023. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz)

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A discarded Russian fuel tank farm stands on the shore of Fildes bay at King George Island, South Shetlands, Antarctica, Thursday, Nov. 23, 2023. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz)

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United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres visits Chile´s Eduardo Frei Air Force Base at King George Island, South Shetlands, Antarctica, Thursday, Nov. 23, 2023. Guterres’ visit to Antarctica comes days before nations converge in Dubai for COP28 to address climate change. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz)

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Papua penguins walk at the Bernardo O’Higgins Chilean military base in Antarctica, Thursday, Nov. 23, 2023. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz)

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Papua penguins brood at the Bernardo O’Higgins Chilean military base in Antarctica, Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2023. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz)

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Icebergs float at Bransfield Straits, South Shetlands, Antarctica, Thursday, Nov. 23, 2023. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz)

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Ice floats on the Bransfield Strait near the Bernardo O’Higgins Chilean military base in Antarctica, Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2023. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz)

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Soldiers aboard an ATV chat during a visit by Chile’s President Gabriel Boric and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to Chile´s Eduardo Frei Air Force Base at King George Island, South Shetlands, Antarctica, Thursday, Nov. 23, 2023. Guterres’ visit to Antarctica comes days before nations converge in Dubai for COP28 to address climate change. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz)

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United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, left, talks to Chile’s President Gabriel Boric, during their official visit to Chile´s Eduardo Frei Air Force Base at King George Island, South Shetlands, Antarctica, Thursday, Nov. 23, 2023. Guterres’ visit to Antarctica comes days before nations converge in Dubai for COP28 to address climate change. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz)

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An iceberg is reflected on a window on the Aquiles, a Chilean Navy ship at the Bransfield Straits, South Shetlands, Antarctica, Thursday, Nov. 23, 2023. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz)

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Zodiac boats sail in the Bransfield Strait towards the Bernardo O’Higgins Chilean military base in Antarctica, Thursday, Nov. 23, 2023. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz)

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A sign reading in Spanish “Welcome, Chilean Air Force, President Eduardo Frei Montalva Antarctica Airbase” stands in King George Island, Antarctica, Thursday, Nov. 23, 2023. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is visiting Antarctica days before nations converge in Dubai for COP28 to address climate change. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz)

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Papua penguins walk at the Bernardo O’Higgins military base in Antarctica, Thursday, Nov. 23, 2023. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz)

By ISABELLA O’MALLEY and ALEXANDRE PLAZA

KING GEORGE ISLAND, Antarctica (AP) — On the cusp of the COP28 climate talks, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres visited frozen but rapidly melting Antarctica and said Thursday that intense action must be taken at the conference where countries will address their commitments to lowering emissions of planet-warming gases.

“We are witnessing an acceleration that is absolutely devastating,” Guterres said about the rate of ice melt in Antarctica, which is considered to be a “sleeping giant.”

“The Antarctic is waking up, and the world must wake up,” he added.

Guterres is on a three-day official visit to Antarctica. Chilean President Gabriel Boric joined him for an official visit to Chile´s Eduardo Frei Air Force Base on King George Island.

Guterres also was scheduled to visit the Collins and Nelson glaciers by boat.

He described the U.N. climate change conference that begins in Dubai next week as an opportunity for nations to “decide the phase-out of fossil fuels in an adequate time frame” to prevent the world from warming 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial temperatures.

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Guterres said the COP28 conference also gives nations the chance to commit to more renewable energy projects and to improve energy efficiency of existing grids and technologies.

The U.N. chief also said he thinks that Sultan al-Jaber, the president of the upcoming climate talks and head of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, has a “bigger responsibility” to encourage the fossil fuel industry to make more clean energy investments because of his ties to the sector.

“He needs to be able to explain to all those that are responsible in the fossil fuel industry, and especially to the oil and gas industry that is making obscene profits all over the world, that this is the moment to use those profits instead of doubling down on fossil fuels,” Guterres said.

Warming air and ocean temperatures are causing Antarctic ice to melt. The frozen continent plays a significant role in regulating Earth’s climate because it reflects sunlight away and drives major ocean currents.

For years, scientists and environmentalists have kept an eye on the West Antarctic Ice Sheet as an important indicator of global warming. A study published in Nature Climate Change last month said warming has increased to the point that the ice sheet will now experience “unavoidable” melting regardless of how much the world reduces emissions of planet-warming gases like carbon dioxide.

The study’s lead author, Kaitlin Naughten, estimated that melting ice in Antarctica’s most at-risk areas could raise global sea levels by about 1.8 meters (5.9 feet) over the next few centuries.

Another study published in Science Advances, also last month, reported that nearly 50 Antarctic ice shelves have shrunk by at least 30% since 1997 and 28 of those have lost more than half their ice in that short period of time.

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O’Malley reported from Philadelphia.

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