Top Posts
African climate change projects secure major funding
Former French PM urges China, Europe to unite...
NDDC, FOSDO launch tree-planting campaign to address climate...
WHO unveils an ambitious blueprint for action on...
New report shows nearly 900 million poor people...
Lagos to Host 2025 International Climate Change Summit
New study shows overheating world will add 57...
NAICOM urges W’African insurers to invest in climate...
Climate change: Nigeria, development partners launch Net Zero...
Nigeria launches net zero project to fight climate...
EcoNai Newsroom
  • Newsround
  • Nigeria
  • Africa
  • World
World

UN Chief says Climate goal of 1.5C is ‘gasping for breath’

by Segun Ogunlade December 20, 2022
written by Segun Ogunlade December 20, 2022
593

The UN secretary general, António Guterres has described the goal of limiting global heating to 1.5C as “gasping for breath”, and has now announced a new climate ambition summit that would challenge leaders of governments and businesses to come up with “new, tangible and credible climate action to accelerate the pace of change” and confront the “existential threat” of the climate crisis.

“We are still moving in the wrong direction,” he said on Monday as the COP15 conference was winding down in Montreal. “The 1.5C goal is gasping for breath. National climate plans are falling woefully short. And yet we are not retreating, we are fighting back.”

He added that invitation to the summit where serious new climate action will be discussed is open, but it will be a no-nonsense summit and there will be “no room for backsliders, greenwashers, blame-shifters or repackaging of announcements of previous years.”

Guterres has become increasingly outspoken about the climate emergency, and the summit will put further pressure on countries to act.

Read also: COP15: Major takeaways from biodiversity deal adopted in Montreal

A series of reports in October laid bare how close the planet is to irreversible climate catastrophe. Carbon emissions must fall by half by 2030 to have an even chance of limiting global heating to the internationally agreed 1.5C limit. But emissions in 2022 will set a record high.

Guterres pointed to some successes made on climate change in the past, including a “groundbreaking” agreement at the Cop27 summit in November on the issue of loss and damage, the now unavoidable impacts of climate-fuelled extreme weather and how to fund recovery in poorer countries.

He also pointed to multibillion-dollar deals between rich countries and Indonesia, South Africa and Vietnam to phase out their use of coal, the most polluting fossil fuel. “We are fighting back to help emerging economies shift away from coal and accelerate the renewable energy revolution,” he said.

Earlier this month, Fatih Birol, the head of the International Energy Agency, said: “Renewables were already expanding quickly, but the global energy crisis has kicked them into an extraordinary new phase as countries seek to capitalise on their energy security benefits. The world is set to add as much renewable power in the next five years as it did in the previous 20 years.”

The UN hosted a climate ambition summit in December 2020, after the Cop26 meeting was postponed by a year owing to Covid-19. The UN’s general assembly in New York each September has had an increasing focus on the climate crisis in recent years.

Adapted from the Guardian.

BreathClimate goalGaspingUN
0 comment 0 FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail
admineconai

previous post
COP15: Major takeaways from biodiversity deal adopted in Montreal
next post
Bank floats $10 bln Brazilian bond plan to halt Amazon deforestation

Related Posts

Former French PM urges China, Europe to unite...

October 22, 2025

WHO unveils an ambitious blueprint for action on...

October 20, 2025

New report shows nearly 900 million poor people...

October 20, 2025

New study shows overheating world will add 57...

October 16, 2025

Heaviest monsoon in a decade kills 458 people...

October 9, 2025

Council releases first fully electric bin lorry

October 9, 2025

Study shows US asthma inhalers produce same emissions...

October 7, 2025

Pope Leo hits out at climate change critics

October 3, 2025

Protesters seek $5tr payment from fossil fuel companies

October 1, 2025

UN official says climate change displaces up to...

September 30, 2025

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Newsletter

Subscribe my Newsletter for new blog posts, tips & new photos. Let's stay updated!

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin
  • Bloglovin
  • Vimeo

@2021 - All Right Reserved. Designed and Developed by Eco-Nai+

EcoNai Newsroom
  • Newsround
  • Nigeria
  • Africa
  • World