UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has launched a call for immediate and radical action against the climate change saying July’s record-breaking temperatures show the Earth has moved from warming to “an era of global boiling». Speaking in New York, Guterres described the intense heat in the northern hemisphere as a “cruel summer”.
“For the entire planet, it’s a disaster,” he said, noting that “barring a mini-ice age in the next few days, July 2023 will break records across the board. Climate change is here. It’s terrifying. And that’s just the beginning.” Climate change “for scientists is unequivocal: humans are responsible,” Guterres insisted, noting that “the only surprise is the speed of change.”
“The consequences are obvious and tragic: children overwhelmed by the monsoon rains, families fleeing the flames, workers passed out due to the scorching heat”. Faced with this catastrophic finding, the UN Secretary-General reiterated his relentless calls for radical and urgent action, once again attacking the fossil fuel sector as well. «The air is unbreathable, the heat is unbearable. And the levels of fossil fuel profits and climate inertia are unacceptable,” he said.
“Leaders must lead. No more hesitations. No more excuses. Just wait for the others to move first” Guterres, who will host the ‘Climate Ambition Summit’ in New York in September, calls in particular on developed countries to commit to achieving carbon neutrality as close as possible to 2040 and emerging economies as close as possible to 2050. “The evidence is everywhere: humanity has unleashed destruction. This should lead not to despair, but to action. We can still prevent the worst. But for that, we need to turn a year of fiery heat in a year of burning ambition.