United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres speaks at the opening ceremony of the World Leaders' Climate Action Summit, the second day of the UNFCCC COP29 Climate Conference, held at Baku Stadium in Baku, Azerbaijan, on November 12, 2024. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has warned that the world has begun the final countdown to the deadline by which global temperature rise must be limited to 1.5°C.
“The hottest day on record…and the hottest month on record…this year is almost certain to be the hottest year on record…Families flee for their lives as the next hurricane hits. Biodiversity destroyed in sweltering oceans.” ” were some of the examples President Guterres highlighted in his speech at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan.
He also said workers and pilgrims are collapsing in the unbearable heat, floods are tearing through communities and destroying infrastructure, and children are going to bed hungry as droughts ravage crops in several parts of the world. He also mentioned that.
These and other disasters are being exacerbated by human-induced climate change and no country can escape them, the UN chief has warned. He did not pursue who was responsible for the problem.
“The rich cause the problems. The poor pay the highest price. Oxfam has found that the richest billionaires emit more carbon dioxide in an hour and a half than the average person in a lifetime. “We found that there are more than that.”
Nevertheless, Guterres remained hopeful about global efforts to harness clean energy.
“Last year, for the first time, investment in the grid and renewable energy exceeded investment in fossil fuels,” he said.
“Almost everywhere, solar and wind are the cheapest new sources of electricity. Doubling down on fossil fuels is foolish. The clean energy revolution is here, and no group, business, or government can stop it.
“But we can and must achieve equity fast enough to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C.”
He appealed to COP29 participants to focus on reducing emissions, saying it was essential to limit global warming and that it needed to be reduced by 9% each year.
Guterres also called on carbon markets – trading systems that provide financial incentives for climate change mitigation – to be fair and respectful of local communities, without land grabbing or greenwashing. He added that a climate plan needs to be presented at next year's climate conference in Brazil.
“But the G20 must lead. They are the biggest emitters and have the greatest capacity and responsibility. They must mobilize their technological know-how, with developed countries supporting emerging countries.” he said.
“Only you can beat the 1.5 degrees clock,” Guterres said.
He said particularly vulnerable people should be protected from climate change.
“The gap between adaptation needs and funding could reach up to $359 billion per year by 2030. These lost dollars are not abstractions on a balance sheet, but lives lost. , lost harvests, and denial of development.
“Now, more than ever, fiscal commitments must be kept. Developed countries must work hard to double adaptation financing to at least $40 billion a year by 2025.” said.
Guterres said investments in adaptation have the power to transform economies and drive progress, and there is an urgent need to have early warning systems in place by 2027 to warn people of potential disasters in time. he added.
Developing countries should not leave Baku empty-handed, and a financial agreement was a top priority. He said this must be in the form of a framework for concessionary public finance, low debt, taxes on shipping, aviation and fossil fuel extraction, transparency and better financing initiatives, with a clear understanding of how they will be financed. said.
“At COP29, we must break down barriers to climate finance,” Guterres said.
“There is no time to waste. The world must pay a price when it comes to climate finance, or humanity will pay the price.”
