UNITED NATIONS: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres delivered a stark warning to world leaders as he launched the “Climate Ambition Summit,” emphasizing that humanity’s continued reliance on fossil fuels has “opened the gates to hell.” This high-profile climate meeting notably saw the absence of a leading polluter, the United States.
Despite a surge in extreme weather events and record-breaking global temperatures, greenhouse gas emissions persistently rise, while oil and gas companies continue to reap substantial profits. Guterres positioned this summit as a “no-nonsense” forum where leaders and cabinet ministers would announce specific actions to fulfill their commitments under the Paris Agreement.
In his opening address, Guterres highlighted the “horrific heat” and “historic fires” witnessed in 2023 while emphasizing that the future remains unwritten. He urged leaders to act decisively, stating, “We can still limit the global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees. We can still create a world with clean air, green jobs, and affordable clean energy for all,” referring to the target considered necessary to avert long-term climate catastrophe.
The bar for podium participation was set high, with Guterres specifying that only leaders with concrete plans to achieve net-zero greenhouse emissions would be allowed to speak.
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The list of 41 speakers, released by the UN, did not include major nations such as China, the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, or India. Several prominent leaders, including China’s President Xi Jinping and the UK’s Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, opted not to attend this year’s UN General Assembly. US President Joe Biden, who addressed the Assembly, sent his climate envoy John Kerry, who was not permitted to speak as a “mover and doer.”
Alden Meyer of climate think tank E3G noted that the absence of leaders from major economies and emitters would undoubtedly impact the summit’s outcomes. Meyer attributed this absence to competing global issues, from the Ukraine conflict to US-China tensions, economic uncertainty, and the influence of the fossil fuel industry.
Catherine Abreu, executive director of nonprofit Destination Zero, regarded the absence of a speaking slot for President Biden as a positive development. She noted that the US has expanded fossil fuel projects despite significant investments in renewables.
The summit represents the most significant climate gathering in New York since 2019, marked by Greta Thunberg’s impactful “How Dare You” speech before the UN. Climate activists, particularly youth, have voiced growing frustration, culminating in the “March to End Fossil Fuels” in New York.
Observers are eager to hear from Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and European Union President Ursula von der Leyen, particularly regarding their goals and financing commitments for developing nations. Advanced economies pledged in 2009 to provide $100 billion annually to less developed countries by 2020, a promise that remains unfulfilled, with much of the funding offered in the form of loans. The “loss and damage” fund, aimed at aiding nations most vulnerable to climate change impacts, also remains non-operational.
However, there are some encouraging developments, such as Colombia and Panama joining the Powering Past Coal Alliance, a notable move given Colombia’s status as the world’s sixth-largest coal exporter.
