United Nations (UN) Secretary-General António Guterres announced that he would call for more climate action from G20 member countries while attending the G20 summit in that city.
In statements to the press after his arrival, the UN chief assured that his message would be a “simple but urgent appeal” to world leaders present to unite in the face of humanity’s greatest challenges.
Global leadership is particularly necessary in two areas: climate protection and sustainable development.
The G20 brings together the world’s largest greenhouse gas producers, who are responsible for 80 percent of all global emissions, and must therefore make greater efforts to protect the climate, he stressed.
«Leadership means keeping the 1.5 degree target alive; Restore trust based on climate justice; and drive a fair and just transition to a green economy,” he stressed.
As a proposal, the Secretary-General announced a roadmap for members to fund a minimum $500 billion stimulus plan for the targets and establish an effective mechanism to reduce the debt burden of the poorest countries.
In addition, he will propose changing the business model of the multilateral development banks to encourage much greater private financing and redirecting fossil fuel subsidies towards more productive uses.
Guterres reminded the media that the world is going through a difficult time of transition, with rising inequality and the extent of poverty and hunger, and at the same time an apparent lack of global solidarity.
“Divisions increase, tensions rise and trust ebbs, all raising the specter of fragmentation and ultimately confrontation. This rupture would be very worrying at best, but in our time it is tantamount to catastrophe,” he stressed.
India is the UN chief’s third stop this month, having previously attended the African climate summit in Kenya and the Indonesia-based UN-ASEAN summit.
This weekend’s G20 meeting will precede next week’s G77 and China meeting in Havana, Guterres’ final stop before the United Nations high-level meeting.