He called on government officials at the world climate conference in Glasgow on Monday to do more. “We are digging our own grave,” warned Guterres at the opening ceremony with dozens of heads of state and government, including Federal Chancellor Alexander Schallenberg (ÖVP).
Governments must end fossil fuel subsidies, phase out coal and set a price for all emissions, he said. “It’s time to say: enough,” said Guterres. “Enough brutal attacks on biodiversity. Enough carbon self-destruction. Enough that nature is treated like a toilet. Enough fires, drilling and mining into ever-deeper elevations.”
Guterres expressed doubts about the climate protection promises made by some countries. Even if all were actually adhered to, the warming would rise to 2.7 degrees above pre-industrial levels by the turn of the century. “We are still heading for a climate catastrophe,” he said. Guterres called on rich countries to finally implement their 2009 pledge to give poorer countries $ 100 billion a year to adapt to climate change.
“One minute before midnight”
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson as host also made the heads of state and government responsible. The meeting must “defuse this bomb” and become “the beginning of the end” of destructive climate change, said Johnson at the beginning of the opening ceremony in Glasgow on Monday. “COP26 cannot and must not be the end of the story.” With the Paris climate agreement, a lifeboat had been created that had to be given a push in the direction of a greener, cleaner future.
“It’s a minute to midnight on the doomsday clock,” said Johnson. “We may not feel and look like James Bond either.” But with a view to the film secret agent and the danger of global warming, he said: “Let’s defuse this bomb.” You now have the unique opportunity to turn things around and ensure that future generations will not condemn those in power today, the prime minister told his counterparts.
Attenborough: “It takes a huge effort”
At the start of the World Climate Conference, Prince Charles emphasized the important role of the private sector for a climate-neutral future. Industry and banks have trillions to drive the transformation, said the British heir to the throne. You, the politicians, have to ensure that the framework conditions are clear and do not keep changing. Only then would investors have the confidence to take money into their hands.
The British nature filmmaker David Attenborough also reminded the negotiators of their responsibility for future generations. Tomorrow’s people would look back at COP26 and wonder whether or not the decisions made there have reduced the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, Attenborough said at the opening ceremony. “We have every reason to believe that the answer can be yes,” said the 95-year-old. However, it will be tough and will require huge efforts, including an industrial revolution. “Ultimately, we are still the greatest problem solvers who have ever lived on earth,” he said.
China’s president stays away
China’s President Xi Jinping will neither speak in person at the Glasgow summit nor connect via video. According to the version of the official list of speakers available on Monday, a written statement by Xi Jinping is to be published on the summit’s website instead. A spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry initially refused to confirm this. No country produces such a large amount of climate-damaging greenhouse gases as China.
The USA put China under pressure at the beginning of the world climate conference. The country has an obligation to tighten its targets, said US security advisor Jake Sullivan on Monday on the flight with President Joe Biden to Glasgow. China, the world’s largest greenhouse gas emitter, is absolutely capable of doing this. The state of relations with the USA is no reason not to act on climate protection. Biden will deliver a strong speech on Monday with a commitment to US leadership in the fight against climate change.
Video: ORF correspondents Cornelia Vospernik and Eva Pöcksteiner report on the G20 summit in Rome, which has come to an end, and the beginning of the world climate conference in Glasgow.
“Lack of safety standards”: Erdogan canceled
Meanwhile, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he was taking part in the climate summit at short notice due to a lack of security standards. “After our requirements were not met, we decided not to travel to Glasgow,” said Erdogan after a report by the state news agency Anadolu on Monday. Last month, the Turkish parliament was the last G20 country to ratify the Paris climate agreement.
Source From: Nachrichten
