UN chief calls for action to deal with extreme heat

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday called for action to deal with extreme heat caused by El Nino.



The UN chief made the appeal at a press encounter, citing an update on El Nino forecasts released by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).



According to the new forecasts, this summer's extremes -- record-shattering heat domes, apocalyptic wildfires, thousands of lives lost in scorching conditions, record-high global sea-surface temperatures -- are only a warm-up act, said Guterres.



El Nino is strengthening, adding fuel to a planet already on fire. The Pacific waters driving the phenomenon have never been this warm this early in an El Nino and temperatures are still rising, he said. "At the same time, WMO's outlook shows that through October, nearly every land area on Earth is expected to be hotter than normal."