U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the United States is committed to counter or at least adapt to rising sea levels that pose an existential threat to many coastal communities around the world.
“Climate change is melting glaciers. It’s causing sea levels to rise. It’s fueling extreme weather like storms, which have become even more devastating when combined with higher seas. Already, in so many of our countries, these patterns are upending lives and livelihoods,” he said Wednesday at a meeting at the UN General Assembly to address concerns about the impact of climate change on oceans and seas.”
“Based on current trends, by 2050, sea-level rise could displace tens of millions of people,” Blinken said. “We can still prevent this, but the time to act is running out.”
Blinken also said that while working to counter the phenomenon the Biden administration would oppose any effort to limit or curtail the rights of any countries affected by it.
“Our position is that sea-level rise should not diminish a country’s maritime zones, including the fishing grounds and resources under a nation’s jurisdiction,” he said. “And no country should lose its statehood or membership in the United Nations or other international organizations because of sea-level rise.”
