Declare states of ‘climate emergency’, UN chief tells world leaders

London, December 12

World leaders ought to declare states of “climate emergency” of their international locations to spur motion to keep away from catastrophic international warming, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stated in opening remarks to a local weather summit on Saturday.

More than 70 world leaders are resulting from deal with the one-day digital gathering geared toward constructing momentum for a lot steeper cuts in planet-warming emissions on the fifth anniversary of the 2015 Paris local weather accord.

“Can anybody still deny that we are facing a dramatic emergency?” Guterres stated through video. “That is why today, I call on all leaders worldwide to declare a State of Climate Emergency in their countries until carbon neutrality is reached.”

Guterres stated that financial restoration packages launched within the wake of the coronavirus pandemic represented a chance to speed up the transition to a low-carbon future – however warned this was not taking place quick sufficient.

“So far, the members of the G20 are spending 50% more in their stimulus and rescue packages on sectors linked to fossil fuel production and consumption, than on low-carbon energy,” Guterres stated.

“This is unacceptable. The trillions of dollars needed for COVID recovery is money that we are borrowing from future generations,” he stated. “We cannot use these resources to lock in policies that burden future generations with a mountain of debt on a broken planet.”

On Friday, summit co-host Britain introduced it could pledge to finish direct authorities help for abroad fossil gas initiatives on the summit, aiming to spur related strikes by different international locations to speed up a shift to cleaner power.

Diplomats are watching summit speeches for any indicators of considerably stronger local weather pledges from international locations together with China, which stunned many observers by asserting a aim to develop into carbon impartial by 2060 in September, India and Japan. Reuters