UN chief calls on world governments to declare State of Climate Emergency

The UN chief Antonio Guterres has called on governments to declare a “State of Climate Emergency” and to slash carbon pollution. He warned that nations’ current commitments were far from enough to limit temperature rises to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

Addressing the Climate Ambition summit, which was held virtually to mark five years since the Paris climate deal, Guterres said the world may be headed for a catastrophic temperature rise of more than 3.0 degrees this century, if the course is not changed. “That is why, I call on all leaders worldwide to declare a State of Climate Emergency in their countries until carbon neutrality is reached.”

The commitments to reduce emissions that countries made at Paris were insufficient, and would result in catastrophic heating of more than three degrees Celsius. The agreement contains a ratchet mechanism by which nations must update their commitment every five years. As such, the first deadline is now looming on 31 December.

According to the UN, emissions must fall 7.6 per cent annually through 2030 to keep the 1.5 degrees Celsius temperature cap in play. The world body highlighted that emissions fell a record seven per cent because of the COVID-19 pandemic driven lockdowns and restrictions on movement.

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But Guterres said governments were missing the chance to green their economic recoveries. He pointed out that G20 nations, responsible for the lion’s share of carbon pollution, were spending 50 per cent more in their rescue packages on sectors linked to fossil fuels than to low-carbon energy. “This is unacceptable. We cannot use these resources to lock in policies that burden future generations with a mountain of debt on a broken planet,” Guterres said. “Every country, city, financial institution and company needs to adopt plans to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, and start executing them now, including by providing clear short-term targets.”