SOS on rising sea levels, and other nature and climate stories you need to read this week

"Surging seas are coming for us all." The Secretary-General of the United Nations issued his stark warning at the Pacific Islands Forum in Tonga. Speaking at the launch of the World Meteorological Organization's (WMO) latest report on the State of the Climate in the South-West Pacific, António Guterres said rising seas would impact a billion people directly and bring with them "the devastation of fishing, tourism and the Blue Economy".

The WMO's report details how sea levels in the western tropical Pacific have risen by 10-15 centimetres since 1993 – nearly twice the global average.

Guterres pulled no punches when explaining where the risk to Pacific island nations originated. “A worldwide catastrophe is putting this Pacific paradise in peril,” said Guterres. The reason is clear: greenhouse gases – overwhelmingly generated by burning fossil fuels – are cooking our planet and the sea is taking the heat – literally.”

Despite emitting just 0.2% of total greenhouse gas emissions, the Pacific islands are taking the brunt of the impact of rising sea levels. Their average elevation above the waves is between 1 and 2 metres and 90% of the islands' population live within 5 kilometres of the coastline.

“Climate change has become a global crisis and is the defining challenge that humanity currently faces," said WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo. "Communities, economies and ecosystems throughout the South-West Pacific region are significantly affected by its cascading impacts. It is increasingly evident that we are fast running out of time to turn the tide."

Danish toymaker, Lego is to phase out the use of oil in the manufacture of its famous plastic bricks. The oil will be replaced by renewable materials.

Lego sells billions of plastic bricks every year and has been making efforts to make them more sustainable. According to Reuters, the company has tested more than 600 alternative materials to replace the oil in its products, but with limited success.

Now the company will buy in certified renewable resins and recycled plastics which cost 70% more than traditional materials. Lego CEO Niels Christiansen told Reuters the company is on track to ensure that more than half of the resin it needs in 2026 is certified sustainable, up from 30% in the first half of 2024.

Wildfires that swept through Canadian forests in 2023 released more greenhouse gases than some of the world's largest carbon-emitting countries. In total, 647 megatonnes of carbon was released into the atmosphere, exceeding the 2022 emissions of 10 countries, including Germany, Japan and Russia.

The threat of giant tsunami waves is increasing as melting glaciers trigger more landslides. Research into the cause of a 200-metre-high megatsunami that hit a fjord in Greenland last year, showed a massive rockslide caused the wave which devastated a military base.

The Romanian government is set to approve an insurance scheme to assist farmers whose crops are damaged or destroyed by drought. Reuters reports that 2 million hectares of maize and other crops had been affected by drought in July.

Companies in Norway and Finland are planning to launch an ammonia-powered ship to supply oil and gas platforms. The ship is scheduled to go into service in 2026.

China's government says it will continue with reforms to its energy systems with the aim of phasing out fossil fuels. Zhang Jianhua, head of the National Energy Administration, said China had spent $676 billion on its energy transition last year.

Rewilding activists are calling on the UK government to issue more permits to release beavers into the wild, according to a report in the Guardian newspaper. There's concern that a lack of approvals is leading to a spate of so-called "beaver bombing" – where the animals are released without permission. Beavers have become re-established in the south of England and Scotland.

The countdown to COP29 begins, which this year takes place in Baku, Azerbaijan from 11-22 November. The aim of this year's climate talks is to advance the event's two “pillars”: the enhancement of ambition and the enabling of action. Many are calling COP29 the “finance COP”, seeing it as an opportunity to align climate finance contributions with estimated global needs.

As environmental challenges mount worldwide, the "nature positive" concept is emerging as a vital strategy for businesses. This approach emphasizes halting and reversing biodiversity loss, ensuring that natural ecosystems are preserved and enhanced. Find out how corporate directors can achieve nature positive outcomes by setting an aspirational vision, ensuring effective governance and applying nature-inclusive risk management.

The climate crisis is a global issue: its effects are not limited by borders. Around the world, communities and collectives are working locally to address their specific circumstances. The changes they’re achieving could offer a scalable blueprint for the planet – and the Climate Reality Project has shown that there is a global network of inspired activists who want to take regionally relevant action locally.