UN Chief Issues Final Climate Warning as Term Ends
Translated & summarized from Ynet by baba
UN Secretary-General António Guterres issued a final urgent warning on climate change at the COP31 conference in Turkey, calling it "the moment of truth." As his term ends, Guterres highlighted escalating global warming impacts and the failure of political leadership to act decisively. He stressed the need for immediate action, taxing fossil fuel profits for climate victims, and recognized the existential threat posed by climate change.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- UN Secretary-General António Guterres declared "the moment of truth" at the COP31 climate conference.
- Guterres warned that the Paris Agreement goal of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius is no longer achievable.
- He called for immediate action from world leaders and urged taxing fossil fuel profits for climate victims.
- Israel is not participating in the conference due to security constraints.
- Guterres acknowledged the limitations of his role, stating the UN chief lacks real influence.
As the UN Climate Change Conference (COP31) opened in Antalya, Turkey, UN Secretary-General António Guterres delivered a final, urgent message to world leaders, calling it "the moment of truth." Guterres, whose second and final term concludes at the end of the year, has spent a decade warning about the dangers of climate change, primarily caused by burning fossil fuels. He previously declared the "era of global boiling" had arrived due to rising temperatures and extreme weather events. This year, Israel is not participating in the conference due to security constraints, though government representatives will engage online.
Guterres expressed a palpable sense of urgency, citing deadly heatwaves, storms, floods, and droughts worldwide, exacerbated by the natural climate pattern "El Niño." He stressed that "we cannot wait any longer, and we cannot continue with endless discussions where everyone tries to shift responsibility to someone else. Everyone must do more, without any delay." This marks his last major push on global warming as UN chief.
Reflecting on his tenure, Guterres shared a moment of profound shock from the previous year when scientists informed him that the Paris Agreement's goal of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius was no longer achievable due to excessive greenhouse gas emissions. He felt a "huge sense of failure," but clarified that the failure lay with political leadership, not the world itself. He contrasted this with his experience as Prime Minister of Portugal, demonstrating that long-term investment in a greener future is possible, and expressed hope in the growth of wind and solar energy.
Guterres also highlighted the interconnectedness of global threats, including the energy consumption and carbon emissions associated with artificial intelligence, and how energy supply shocks from wars underscore the security risks of fossil fuel dependence. He recalled his 2023 warning from the Himalayas about glacial lake floods, a scenario that tragically materialized in August with devastating floods in Nepal, killing over 1,400 people. He argued that fossil fuel companies, which are making enormous profits, should be taxed to aid climate change victims.
Despite his consistent advocacy, Guterres acknowledged the limitations of his role, stating that the UN Secretary-General lacks real influence as countries are not bound by requests and major powers hold veto power. He urged the public to take climate change seriously as an existential threat, emphasizing that the primary fight is for humanity's own survival.