In order to limit global temperature to 1.5 Degrees Celsius, G20 countries, including China and the USA, must back their climate change pledges with firm action says UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres.
During the final official ministerial meeting that was held in Milan, Italy, last week, Guterres categorically stated that this means balancing financial support for mitigation and adaptation.
Towards this end, he said it is essential that US$100 billion dollars be provided each year to the developing world for climate change response.
The UN Secretary General said, “I commend those nations, especially vulnerable developing countries, that have come forward with more ambitious Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) despite the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.
“But we can only meet the 1.5-degree goal if all G20 countries, which are responsible for 80 percent of global emissions, pledge more decisive action in new or updated NDCs.”
Guterres said all leaders must recognize that the world is in the middle of a climate emergency while adding that developed economies need to take the lead.
The UN official said, “I cannot emphasize enough that time is running out. Irreversible climate tipping points lie alarmingly close. Civil society is watching closely and is running out of patience. We all know what needs to be done.”
The UN Secretary General stressed that developed countries have a responsibility to increase their individual pledges and honour their collective commitment to deliver the promised US$100 billion dollars a year. Guterres said the $100 billion dollars is, of course, merely a down payment on what is needed to finance mitigation and adaptation in developing countries.
With COP26 just one month away, Guterres urged world leaders to bear in mind that they have immense power; power that can either be used to “save the world or condemn humanity to a hellish future.”
