UN chief underlines urgency of climate fight in world 'hellbent on destruction'

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says international community must pick up the pace to protect planet

United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres has stressed the need for urgent climate action. Reuters

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has sounded the alarm over the need for “deeper and faster” emissions cuts to address global warming after voicing his concern that the international community is “hellbent on destruction”.

Mr Guterres issued a rallying cry over the urgency of accelerated climate action on International Mother Earth Day, held each year in celebration of efforts to preserve the environment.

He called for an end to what he termed a wave of “relentless and senseless wars on nature”.

“Our actions are laying waste to forests, jungles, farmland, wetlands, oceans, coral reefs, rivers, seas, and lakes,” he said.

“Biodiversity is collapsing as one million species teeter on the brink of extinction.”

Mr Guterres said there was cause for optimism that the world could successfully turn the tide on damaging climate change.

“We have the tools, the knowledge, and the solutions. But we must pick up the pace,” he said.

“We need accelerated climate action with deeper, faster emissions cuts to limit global temperature rise to 1.5ºCelsius.

“We also need scaled-up investments in adaptation and resilience, particularly for the most vulnerable countries and communities who have done the least to cause the crisis.”

He said governments must lead the charge to safeguard the environment for future generations, but needed support on the path to sustainability.

“At every step, governments must lead the way. But corporations, institutions and civil society also have a vital role,” the UN head said.

“Finally, we must learn from the time-won wisdom, knowledge and leadership of indigenous peoples, whose environmental stewardship stretches back millennia, and who hold many of the solutions to the world's climate and biodiversity crises.

“This Earth Day, I urge people everywhere to raise your voices — in your schools, workplaces and faith communities, and on social media platforms — and demand leaders make peace with nature.

“Let us all do our part to protect our common home for the sake of people and planet right now, and for the generations to come.”

Effecting change at Cop 28

Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and Cop28 President-designate, speaking at the Road to Cop28 launch event at Al Wasl Plaza, Expo City Dubai. All photos: Pawan Singh / The National

Minister of Climate Change and Environment Mariam Al Mheiri in conversation on stage at the event

Ms Al Mheiri with Minister of Community Development and and Cop28 Youth Climate Champion Shamma Al Mazrui, Youngo spokeswoman and lead on nationally determined contributions working group Shreya KC and UN climate change high-level champion Razan Al Mubarak, in discussion on stage

Shreya KC, a Nepali climate justice activist, addresses the event at Al Wasl Plaza

Filipino award-winning poet, rapper and climate artist Meta Sarmiento on stage at the event

Visitors at the Road to Cop28 launch event

An artist at work on an Emirati scene at the Road to Cop28 launch

A model of an onyx – a UAE conservation success story – at the launch event

A performer wearing a dress made from recycled material at the Road to Cop28 launch event at Al Wasl Plaza, Expo City Dubai

Climate champions will aim to make significant strides forward at the Cop 28 summit in Dubai in November.

Dr Sultan Al Jaber, President-designate of the Cop28 summit, has called for a “system-wide transformation” to be brought into force to allow the world to “course correct” in its mission to achieve climate change goals.

“Significant challenges lie ahead” as the international community seeks to drastically reduce emission levels and limit global temperature rises, Dr Al Jaber said during a recent environmental gathering in Copenhagen.

The climate change champion, who serves as the UAE's Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, is confident that much-needed progress can be made on the road to Cop28 in Dubai in November and beyond.

Dr Sultan has said the world is “playing catch up” in its efforts to limit temperature rises to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.

The goal was set out in the landmark Paris Agreement at Cop21 in 2015 and successes and failures in the intervening years will be put under the microscope at Cop 28.