Despite the proliferation and intensification of extreme weather events, greenhouse gas emissions responsible for global warming continue to increase, and the fossil energy sector continues to achieve record profits.
By Agence France-Presse
the Human-caused climate crisis has opened the ‘gates of hell’The Secretary-General of the United Nations warned, on Wednesday, at the opening of the Climate Ambition Summit, which was absent from the United States and China, the two countries that pollute the environment the most.
Droughts, floods, high temperatures and historic firesAntónio Guterres, at this meeting, whose participants are the best students of the fight against climate change, said that “humanity has opened the gates of hell,” and has shown “the terrible effects of terrible heat.”
Despite the proliferation and intensification of extreme weather events, greenhouse gas emissions responsible for global warming continue to increase, and the fossil energy sector continues to achieve record profits.
The future “is not decided, it is up to leaders like you to write it.”“We can still limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius and build a world of clean air, green jobs and affordable clean energy for all,” said Guterres, who believes that “we can still limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius.”
If nothing changes, The planet is heading towards a temperature rise of 2.8 degrees CelsiusAnd he warned.
“We must make up for the time lost due to the slowness, pressure and greed of vested interests that make billions from fossil fuels,” Guterres said.
It was announced a few hours before this “logical” meeting, and neither the United States was among the 30 participants, despite the presence of Joe Biden in New York, where he spoke the previous day at the UN General Assembly, nor China, whose president is one of those absent. Adults about this event in New York.
Another notable absence is that of the United Kingdom, whose Prime Minister Rishi Sunak – also absent in New York – suggested on Tuesday that he could review his goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.
On the other hand, the European Union is invited to present its climate policies, as well as Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Spain, Canada, South Africa and many more countries that stand on the front line against the impact of global warming, such as Barbados, Samoa or Tuvalu.
The Secretary-General also invited other actors such as the Governor of California and the Mayor of London.
Announcing this meeting at the end of December, he warned that “there will be no room for retreat, environmental deception, evasion of responsibilities, or repackaging of previous years’ declarations.”
– “revision” –
“It’s probably good news that Biden has nowhere to speak at the summit,” commented Katherine Abreu of the NGO Destino Cero, pointing the finger at US plans for fossil fuel expansion.
He added, “This is a correction in relation to the previous summits that I witnessed.” World leaders have had the opportunity to demand climate leadership on the international stage, while pursuing plans to expand the use of fossil fuels. He added: “Which is fueling the climate crisis at home.”
The summit is the most important climate meeting in the United States since 2019, when Swedish activist Greta Thunberg addressed world leaders with her famous speech, “How dare you!”
Anger is growing among climate activists, especially among young people, who once again took to the streets of New York in their thousands last weekend to march against fossil fuels.
Observers are eagerly awaiting what the leaders of Canada and the European Union in particular will say about their own ambitions, but also about their financial commitments to help the countries most vulnerable to global warming, for which they are least responsible.
The failure of rich countries to fulfill their promises of aid to developing countries is a particularly sensitive issue in international climate negotiations.
It is a debate that will undoubtedly return to the agenda of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in a few weeks. On the good news front, Colombia, which will participate in Wednesday’s summit, and Panama joined the coalition of countries committed to phasing out coal on Tuesday.
