 "United Nations")
"Climate change is here. It is terrifying. And it is just the beginning, children swept away by monsoon rains, families running from the flames (and) workers collapsing in scorching heat", said the UN Secretary-General António Guterres in New York.
The UN chief mentioned that "short of a mini-Ice Age" in upcoming days, July 2023 would likely "shatter records across the board".
UN Chief on climate change: ‘Remarkable and unprecedented’
In Geneva, researchers from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the European Commission’s Copernicus Climate Change Service portrayed conditions this month as "rather remarkable and unprecedented".
They said that new information showed that up to this point, July has seen the hottest three-week time span so far recorded and the three hottest days on record.
UN Chief on climate change: ‘Era of global boiling’
Speaking at UN Headquarters, the Secretary-General highlighted the urgent need for worldwide action on emissions, climate adaptation and climate finance.
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He alerted "the era of global warming has ended and the era of global boiling has arrived.” Although climate change is evident, “we can still stop the worst,” he said. “But to do so we must turn a year of burning heat into a year of burning ambition.”
UN Chief on climate change: Commitment
On finance, the Secretary-General asked richer nations to realise their responsibilities to give $100 billion yearly to environment support in developing nations and to completely recharge the Green Climate Fund.
Mr. Guterres stated that “I am concerned that only two G7 countries like Canada and Germany have made replenishment pledges so far.”
“Countries must also operationalize the loss and damage fund at COP28 this year. No more delays or excuses.”
Mr. Guterres also reiterated the need for “a course correction in the global finance system” to support accelerated climate action.
Measures would include putting a price on carbon and getting multilateral development banks to scale up funding for renewable energy, adaptation, and loss and damage.
He said developed nations should introduce a reasonable and credible guide to double adaptation finance by 2025. Moreover, all governments must carry out an UN action plan to guarantee that everybody in the world is safeguarded by early warning systems by 2027.
