UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has defined climate change as a “disease” that “only” international leaders can “cure.”
With this, Guterres began his speech at the opening of the Global Climate Action Summit, which was attended by several people 40 heads of state and government from around 170 countries worldwide, as part of the XXVIII. Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28), taking place in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
The Secretary-General has stated that the effects of climate change, such as the melting of Antarctic ice or Nepal ice, landslides, floods or sea level rise, are “symptoms of a disease”. “A disease that only you, world leaders, can cure,” he said.
In a positive message, defended that “it is not too late” and that it is possible to prevent the planetary catastrophe, Because the technologies exist to achieve this and avoid the “worst climate chaos” if we act now.
“We need leadership, cooperation and political will to act, now,” said the UN Secretary General. He complained from Dubai that “the bombs are ringing again in Gaza.”
However, in the face of this “climate chaos”, he has defended that climate action can change this trend and that renewable energy is “good” for the planet, health and the economy, meeting growing energy needs and making energy more affordable for millions of people Electricity. “Renewable energy has never been cheaper,” he noted.
In his prescription, Guterres believes that there is a “cure” to climate change by taking action in three areas: by drastically reducing emissions, because current policies will lead to a 3 degrees Celsius increase in global temperature, to If this is the case, it called on countries to increase their nationally determined contributions so that they meet the 1.5 degree target.
In particular, the Secretary-General has called on G-20 countries, responsible for 80% of global emissions, to accelerate the timeline to reach the goal of net-zero emissions in 2040 “as quickly as possible” for developed countries and in 2050 in emerging markets.
Likewise the Secretary General has called for stopping the burning of fossil fuels and accelerating a proper transition to renewable energy because “the science is clear”. Therefore, it has influenced the International Energy Agency’s diagnosis that the share of renewable energy will triple and energy efficiency will double by 2030.
“The global shift towards renewable energy is inevitable. The question is, how much heat will our planet experience before that happens?”Guterres has warned, urging executives at fossil fuel companies to “not languish in an outdated business model” and to “quickly” transition to renewable energy using resources now available. “Don’t make mistakes,” he begs her.
He has also defended that the path to sustainability is “the only viable path” for the economies and companies of the future to be sustainable, and has asked government leaders to “help” industries make the right decisions through regulation , with laws setting fair prices for carbon and ending fossil fuel subsidies and subsidies.
In third place has pushed to strengthen climate justice in the long term, because developing countries are “devastated” by disasters that they did not cause. Therefore, he believes that sufficient financial support must be provided at the global level, including the Adaptation Funds and the Loss and Damage Fund, and that reform of multilateral banks must be supported to ensure the security of citizens.
Ultimately, Guterres wants the most developed countries to show at this COP28 how they will double down on adaptation financing and deliver on their financing promises.
“Protecting our climate is the best test of leadership in the world. I invite you to live. Faith in humanity lies in balance. Make this COP serve. Make this COP a game changer. Give this COP new hope in the future of humanity,” he concluded.