UN Secretary-General urges leaders to act as climate clock ticks at COP29 in Baku
At the World Leaders Climate Action Summit in Baku, Azerbaijan, United Nations, Secretary-General António Guterres has delivered an urgent call to action, warning that the world is in the "final countdown" to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
With 2024 on track to be the hottest year recorded, Guterres highlighted the devastating impact of climate change, which is driving extreme weather, displacing communities, and increasing food and energy costs worldwide.
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"The sound you hear is the ticking clock, we are on a road to ruin. People are suffering in the shadows, dying in the dark. They need more than compassion; they are crying out for leadership and action," Guterres told global leaders.
His message emphasized the need for leaders to deliver on commitments made at COP28, including reducing fossil fuel reliance, boosting renewable energy systems, and aligning climate goals with the critical 1.5-degree target.
At COP29, Guterres set three urgent priorities for world leaders: emergency emissions reductions, better protection against climate impacts, and a transformative approach to climate finance.
He argued that unless emissions sharply decline and investments in climate adaptation soar, every country will face escalating economic and environmental crises.
The Secretary-General stressed the importance of cutting global emissions by 43% from 2019 levels by 2030, an ambitious but essential target for maintaining a habitable climate.
He urged countries to finalize rules for fair carbon markets that do not exploit local communities or contribute to greenwashing. He also called on the G20 to lead by example, saying, "They are the largest emitters with the greatest capacity and responsibility."
The UN is working to support these goals through initiatives like the Climate Promise, which aids developing nations in drafting climate action plans, and the Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals to ensure that the shift to clean energy is just and inclusive.
Addressing adaptation, Guterres highlighted the widening gap between the resources needed and available for vulnerable communities.
He pressed developed nations to honor their commitment to double adaptation finance to $40 billion annually by 2025, describing these investments as essential for saving lives and promoting sustainable development.
Guterres emphasized that every country’s climate action plan should include adaptation financing needs and called for swift contributions to the newly established Loss and Damage Fund.
On climate finance, Guterres warned that developing countries should not leave COP29 empty-handed.
He outlined five critical elements for a successful finance deal, including significantly increasing concessional public finance, mobilizing private investment, implementing levies on polluting sectors, ensuring transparency, and strengthening the role of Multilateral Development Banks.
"Climate finance is not charity, it’s an investment. Climate action is not optional, it’s an imperative. The clock is ticking, and I count on you," he asserted.
Guterres’s speech was deliberate on the urgency and shared responsibility required to tackle climate change, rallying leaders to turn promises into tangible actions that protect the planet and its people.
