Jakarta – United Nations Secretary General António Guterres calls on developed countries, multilateral development banks, private financiers and others to form coalitions to help emerging economies end the use of coal. In a video message at the launch of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report broadcast virtually on Monday (28/2).
Scientists in the latest IPCC report remind that “human-induced climate change is causing dangerous and widespread disruption in nature and affecting the lives of billions of people around the world, despite efforts to reduce the risks. People and ecosystems least able to cope are being hardest hit.”
“Today’s report underscores two core truths. First, coal and other fossil fuels are choking humanity,” said Guterres, adding that after developed countries agreed to stop funding coal abroad, they must also urgently do the same at home and dismantle their coal fleets.
The Working Group II report is the second instalment of the IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report (AR6), which will be completed this year.
“This report is a dire warning about the consequences of inaction,” said Hoesung Lee, Chair of the IPCC said in a press release. “It shows that climate change is a grave and mounting threat to our wellbeing and a healthy planet. Our actions today will shape how people adapt and nature responds to increasing climate risks.”
“This report recognizes the interdependence of climate, biodiversity and people and integrates natural, social and economic sciences more strongly than earlier IPCC assessments,” he said, adding that the report emphasises “the urgency of immediate and more ambitious action to address climate risks. Half measures are no longer an option.”
OECD countries must phase out coal by 2030 and all others by 2040. Guterres calls on developed countries, multilateral development banks, private financiers and others to form coalitions to help emerging economies end the use of coal.
He reminded that “fossil fuels are a dead end — for our planet, for humanity and yes, for economies. A prompt, well managed transition to renewables is the only best way to energy security, universal access and the green jobs our world needs.”
“The present global energy mix is broken … our continued reliance on fossil fuels make the global economy and energy security vulnerable to geopolitical shocks and crises,” said Guterres.
The Summary for Policymakers of the IPCC Working Group II report, Climate Change 2022: Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability was approved on Sunday, February 27 2022, by 195 member governments of the IPCC, through a virtual approval session that was held over two weeks starting on February 14.
Time to speed up energy transition
“Instead of slowing down the decarbonisation of the global economy, now is the time to accelerate the energy transition to a renewable energy future,” said Guterres.
He continued to point out that the second core finding from this report is slightly better news.
“Investments in adaptations work. Adaptation saves lives. As climate impacts worsen, and they will, scaling up investments will be essential for survival. adaptation and mitigation must be pursued with equal force and urgency,” said Guterres.
He said that he is pushing to get 50% of all climate finance for adaptation and pressing to remove the obstacles that prevent small island states and least developed countries from getting the finance they desperately need to save lives and livelihoods.
“We need new eligibility systems to deal with these new realities. Delay means death. … All development banks, multilaterals, regionals, nationals know what needs to be done. Work with governments to design pipelines of bankable adaptation projects and help them find the funding, public and private,” he said.
“The G20 must lead the way or humanity will pay an even more tragic price. I know people everywhere are anxious and angry. I am too. Now it is the time to change rage into action. Every fraction of degree matters. Every voice can make a difference and every second counts,” he concluded. (nsh)
