UN Panel Urges Global Action on Sea Level Rise, Highlighting Urgent Need for Data-Driven Solutions

Titled “Knowledge, Data, and Science to Inform Sea Level Rise Risk Assessments and Decision-Making,” the event featured global experts, including Celeste Saulo, Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

The urgent need for knowledge, data, and scientific research to inform risk assessments and decision-making on sea level rise took center stage at a high-level panel discussion during the UN General Assembly’s meeting on Wednesday. Titled “Knowledge, Data, and Science to Inform Sea Level Rise Risk Assessments and Decision-Making,” the event featured global experts, including Celeste Saulo, Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

The panel highlighted the growing threats of rising sea levels and called for comprehensive, data-driven strategies to mitigate the risks. Co-chaired by Vice Minister Theodore Gentzis of Belgium and Vanuatu’s Special Envoy for Climate Change Ralph Regenvanu, the discussion brought together leaders and experts to address the impacts and explore solutions to this global crisis.

Celeste Saulo underscored the urgent nature of the issue, noting that sea level rise is a present-day challenge, not a distant threat. “Since pre-industrial times, sea levels have risen by 20 to 23 centimeters, and the pace is accelerating,” Saulo explained. “Satellites recorded a 10-centimeter increase in the last 30 years, with half of that rise occurring in just the past decade. These numbers represent devastating consequences for coastal populations.”

Rising sea levels are already flooding low-lying areas, eroding shorelines, and threatening the livelihoods of millions. Saulo stressed the importance of scientific measurements to track these changes and emphasized that the impact goes beyond environmental damage—it affects economies, energy security, and global infrastructure.

The panel also discussed the need for international cooperation and enhanced data collection, particularly in vulnerable regions without sufficient observational infrastructure to directly link flooding events to sea level rise. Saulo reaffirmed the WMO's commitment to supporting countries by strengthening their data capabilities through National Meteorological Services. “We must prioritize global collaboration and ensure that every person on Earth is protected by an early warning system,” Saulo urged.

The discussion concluded with a call for increased financial and technical support to help vulnerable nations adapt to sea level rise. Investment in both hard infrastructure and “soft” adaptation measures, such as improved early warning systems, was deemed essential for building long-term resilience against this growing threat.

As the world faces the accelerating impacts of climate change, the panel reaffirmed the critical role of science, knowledge, and data in shaping effective solutions to safeguard vulnerable communities from the escalating risks posed by rising seas.