Chile President, UN Chief To Visit Antarctica Ahead Of COP28 Summit

Chilean President Gabriel Boric and the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, are all set to visit Antarctica from Wednesday to Saturday, to observe the climate change impact on the continent ahead of the COP28 in Dubai.

Guterres said Monday he will be joined by Boric on the visit, adding, "Scorching temperatures mean Antarctic ice is melting ever-faster, with deadly consequences for people around the world," Reuters reported.

As per U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric, both leaders are scheduled to see the Collins and Nelson Glaciers alongside penguins and other native species at Kopaitic Island.

Following the visit, Guterres will speak at the U.N. climate summit COP28 in Dubai next week and "call for action that matches the scale of the crisis we face."

Guterres noted "countries must commit to triple renewables capacity, double energy efficiency and bring clean power to all, by 2030" in order to curb the impact of climate change.

The announcement of the visit came after Chile's National Forestry Corporation permanently banned hikers from visiting Patagonia's popular glacier called Exploradores (or the Explorers) earlier this month.

The glacier, located in Laguna San Rafael National Park, has been a popular destination among ice-hikers for over two decades. However, hiking activities have been closed due to the glacier reaching an inflection point, which is dangerous and unstable.

Every year, Explorers Glacier is being reduced by 1.5 feet, as per drone images from 2020 collected by government hydrologists. Moreover, the amount of melted water on the glacier has also doubled over the period of time.

Due to climate change, many glacier areas are becoming warmer, leading to several incidents of glaciers melting. For instance, Italian authorities revealed in July 2022 that 11 people died after a huge chunk of melted glaciers fell on hikers.

Meanwhile, the COP28 summit will be held from Nov. 30 to Dec. 12 at Expo City in Dubai, whereas pre-sessionals will happen from Nov. 24 to 29.

COP28 President-Designate, Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, had visited London Climate Action Week in June, where he urged to increase climate investments and develop holistic ecosystems.