– This is a time of enormous climate challenges all over the world. From the floods that submerged a third of Pakistan to the hurricanes and typhoons that ravaged the Philippines, Cuba and the United States. We are in a life-and-death struggle today for our own security and for our survival tomorrow, Guterres said from a rostrum in the Congolese capital Kinshasa on Tuesday.
He is currently preparing for the major UN-led climate conference in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt in November. The UN chief pointed out that greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global warming are at an all-time high and continue to rise.
– It is time to find a compromise between the rich and developed countries which have high emissions and the emerging economies which often suffer the worst effects, concluded António Guterres.
In recent weeks, the UN chief has stepped up pressure on the countries that pollute the most, saying they must compensate for the “loss and damage” caused in the poorest countries, something that has been talked about for a long time, but which has often been practiced by rich countries.
From the top of the rostrum, António Guterres addressed the group of G20, the 20 richest countries in the world, a scathing criticism.
– The commitments of the 20 main world economies come far too late and contain far too little. Current promises and policies close the door on our chances of limiting global temperature rise. The COP27 meeting in Egypt must be the place for action, he said.
