COP29: ‘Now is the time to fast-track, not backtrack’ on the path to net-zero
14 November 2024, Sharm El-Sheikh – As world leaders gathered in Egypt for the 29th UN Climate Change Conference (COP29), UN Secretary-General António Guterres delivered a stark warning that the world is on a “highway to climate hell” and called for urgent action to fast-track the transition to net-zero emissions.
“We are on the edge of the abyss and moving in the wrong direction,” Guterres said in his opening remarks to the conference. “Our planet is changing before our eyes – from rising sea levels and melting glaciers to increasingly extreme weather events. The consequences for humanity are catastrophic.”
The UN chief pointed to the latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which warned that the world is on track to warm by 2.8 degrees Celsius by the end of the century – far beyond the 1.5 degrees Celsius limit that scientists say is necessary to avoid the most catastrophic impacts of climate change.
“The IPCC report is a clear and unequivocal warning that we are failing to meet our climate goals,” Guterres said. “We are on a highway to climate hell, with our foot still on the accelerator.”
The Secretary-General called on world leaders to take urgent action to fast-track the transition to net-zero emissions, which means cutting greenhouse gas emissions to as close to zero as possible by 2050. He said that this would require a rapid shift to renewable energy, energy efficiency, and sustainable land use practices.
“We need to move from incremental change to transformational change,” Guterres said. “We need to fast-track the transition to net-zero emissions, not backtrack.”
The Secretary-General also called on developed countries to provide financial and technical support to developing countries to help them adapt to the impacts of climate change and transition to a low-carbon future.
“Developed countries have a moral and historical responsibility to support developing countries in their climate action,” Guterres said. “We need to provide them with the resources they need to build resilience, adapt to the impacts of climate change, and transition to a low-carbon future.”
The COP29 conference is expected to focus on a number of key issues, including:
- Setting more ambitious emissions reduction targets
- Scaling up climate finance
- Strengthening adaptation measures
- Addressing the loss and damage caused by climate change
The conference is also expected to see a number of side events and announcements from businesses, civil society groups, and other stakeholders.
The COP29 conference is a critical opportunity for world leaders to take the urgent action needed to fast-track the transition to net-zero emissions and avoid the worst impacts of climate change. The time for action is now.
COP29: ‘Now is the time to fast-track, not backtrack’ on the path to net-zero
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