'Best class of climate destruction': UN chief urges action at COP29 – National
The head of the United Nations is urging urgent action by world leaders after 2024 witnessed what he called a “masterclass in climate destruction,” adding that halting global warming was still possible but difficult.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has told world leaders and COP29 attendees that the world is “at the last minute” of its chance to limit warming to 1.5 C.
“Time is not on our side,” he said. “Exhibit A: 2024. With the hottest day on record and the hottest month on record, this is likely to be the hottest year on record, and a front-runner in climate destruction.”
Guterres went on to list recent hurricanes that have forced people to evacuate, flooding in various communities and the impact of extreme heat on workers as examples of disasters that “eat the most” from climate change.
The European Union's climate agency said last week that 2024 is expected to be the hottest year on record.
With those impacts, Guterres noted, come impacts on the global economy with destroyed homes driving up insurance premiums and a “shock” of rising costs.
Although he tries to emphasize the importance of taking action to the leaders of COP29, those in charge of some of the most polluting countries are absent.
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China or the US – the biggest polluters and the most powerful economies – did not send their presidents and India or Indonesia, four of which represent the most populous countries in the world.
It is expected from some American officials that the president-elect Donald Trump will withdraw the country from the Paris Agreement for the second time after doing so in 2020, as he promised during the campaign to do so. He also called out the emissions regulations as part of the “new green scam.”
Without naming him, Guterres appeared to disagree with Trump's threat saying doubling the fuel is “absurd.”
“The clean energy revolution has arrived,” he said. “No party, no business and no government can stop it.”
Climate finance, where rich countries compensate poor countries for climate change damage, is the main focus of the climate conference.
During a press conference on Tuesday, COP29 officials said an agreement had been reached for up to US$1 trillion in annual climate funding for developing countries.
Guterres warned that this money “is not charity, it is an investment,” and urged countries to “pay” so that no one will be left “empty.”
But many countries in various economies have seen the impact from climate change, including Canada.
Canada sees costly impacts: report
The Canadian Climate Institute reported in September that the country saw a financial loss just from flooding in Toronto in July and a wildfire that devastated Jasper, Alta., to the tune of $1.8 billion — and that's just counting insurance losses.
The organization warned that incidents like these point to the need to accelerate climate change to prevent damage.
But that action must happen now and Guterres stressed the need to focus on three priorities, the first of which is reducing emissions quickly.
He said that in order to limit the rise to 1.5 C, global emissions must be reduced by nine percent per year and must be reduced by 43 percent from 2019 levels by 2030.
“Unfortunately, they're still growing right now,” she said.
Canada's environmental commission last week emphasized in a report that the country is not on track to meet its obligations under the Paris climate agreement.
Ottawa pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 40 to 45 percent below 2005 levels by 2030, but so far we're only seven percent below 2005 levels.
– in files from the Associated Press and Reuters
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