In a poignant speech at the Global Leaders’ Climate Action Summit in Baku, Azerbaijan, UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned of the final countdown to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C. Citing scenes of families fleeing before the next hurricane hits, biodiversity destroyed in overheated seas, workers collapsing in unbearable heat, devastating floods and children starving as droughts ravage crops, the Secretary-General underscored the urgency of the current climate crisis.
He stressed that human-induced climate change was amplifying these disasters and that no country would be spared. He singled out the wealthiest as the main culprits, noting that the wealthiest billionaires emit more carbon in an hour and a half than the average person does in a lifetime.
However, despite the gloomy picture, Guterres said he remained optimistic about global efforts to transition to cleaner energy. He noted that investments in grids and renewables had surpassed those in fossil fuels for the first time last year. He also highlighted that solar and wind power were now the cheapest sources of electricity in most regions, saying the green energy revolution was well and truly underway.
Guterres called on COP29 delegates to focus on reducing emissions, stressing that limiting global warming was imperative and that emissions needed to be reduced by 9% each year. He also called for fair carbon markets that respected local communities without land grabbing or greenwashing. He added that climate action plans needed to be implemented at the upcoming climate conference in Brazil.
António Guterres urged G20 countries, the largest emitters of greenhouse gases with the greatest capacity and responsibility, to work together to support emerging economies. He stressed the importance of protecting vulnerable populations from the impacts of climate change, calling for a doubling of adaptation finance to at least $40 billion per year by 2025.
In an urgent appeal, the Secretary-General stressed that the world can no longer procrastinate on climate finance and stressed that time is running out. The COP29 summit in Baku must not conclude without a strong financial deal for developing countries, in the form of concessional public finance, low debt and with leverage on shipping, aviation and fossil fuel extraction.
Guterres concluded his speech by stressing the urgency of collective action to combat climate change. He stressed that the world must invest now to avoid a major climate catastrophe in the future, emphasizing that on the issue of climate finance, “the world must pay, or humanity will suffer the consequences.”