Mexico City, June 19 (RHC)-- Authorities on Mexico’s Pacific coast say hundreds of wild birds that have washed up along the shore died as a result of abnormally warm ocean waters resulting from the climate crisis and the warming trend known as El Niño. 

Mexico’s health ministry reports at least six people have died this year from heat-related illnesses, with more extreme temperatures forecast for this weekend.

In related news, the European Union’s climate agency said global surface air temperatures briefly rose by more than 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels earlier this month for the first time ever. 

That’s the maximum global temperature rise agreed to under the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement.

In New York, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said that countries must immediately phase out the burning of coal, oil and gas, calling them incompatible with human survival. 

Guterres also accused fossil fuel companies of attempting to “knee-cap” progress on the climate crisis.

Secretary-General António Guterres said: “Current policies are taking the world to a 2.8 degree temperature rise by the end of the century. That spells catastrophe.  Yet the collective response remains pitiful. We are hurtling towards disaster, eyes wide open, with far too many willing it all on wishful thinking, unproven technologies and silver bullet solutions.  It’s time to wake up and step up.”