António Guterres criticizes world leaders for not doing more about the climate
* Horrendous heat is having horrendous effects. Distraught farmers watching crops carried away by floods
* Sweltering temperatures spawning disease and thousands fleeing in fear as historic fires rage
* If nothing changes, we are heading towards a 2.8-degree temperature rise – towards a dangerous and unstable world
By Stephanie Ebbs, ABC NEWS
UN Secretary-General António Guterres delivered another speech critical of the failure to make progress on climate action in his opening remarks for his Climate Ambition Summit, where he said “humanity has opened the gates of hell” — warning “we are heading toward a “dangerous and unstable world.”
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“Our focus here is on climate solutions – and our task is urgent. Humanity has opened the gates of hell. Horrendous heat is having horrendous effects. Distraught farmers watching crops carried away by floods, sweltering temperatures spawning disease and thousands fleeing in fear as historic fires rage. Climate action is dwarfed by the scale of the challenge.
“If nothing changes, we are heading towards a 2.8-degree temperature rise – towards a dangerous and unstable world.”
Guterres set a high bar for world leaders set to speak at the summit, saying they must offer a significant new climate pledge. “We must make up time lost to foot-dragging, arm-twisting and the naked greed of entrenched interests raking in billions from fossil fuels.
“The proposed Climate Solidarity Pact calls on major emitters – who have benefitted most from fossil fuels – to make extra efforts to cut emissions, and on wealthy countries to support emerging economies to do so.”
Meanwhile, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Guterres had bilateral discussions with Malawi President Lazarus Chakwera where, among other things, the two discussed issues on the devastating impact of Tropical Cyclone Freddy on people’s lives and infrastructure.
A report by Malawi News Agency (MANA) from New York quotes Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nancy Tembo as saying Guterres commended President Chakwera’s urgent response to people who were affected by Cyclone Freddy.
Tembo also told MANA that Chakwera expressed gratitude to the UN Secretary General for the role the UN Mission in Malawi assisted Cyclone Freddy victims with their urgent and timely interventions.
She added that despite the challenges the UN family faced like the adverse weather condition, the UN played a huge role in the recovery and providing relief items to the affected people — and thus Chakwera appealed for more financial support towards post Cyclone Freddy recovery.
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He emphasized on the need for international financial institutions to consider debt cancellation for the Least Developed Countries in order for them to achieve the SDGs.
Minister Tembo said the meeting with the UN Chief was a clear indication of Chakwera’s commitment to strengthen relationships with the UN family and that Guterres assured Malawi of his full support in all areas of development to achieve the sustainable development goals by 2030.
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Delivering his statement at the opening of the 78th Session of the UNGA, Guterres urged wealthy nations to assist the Least Developed Countries to realise their dreams of graduating into middle-income countries
Later in the day, President Lazarus Chakwera visited Rutgers University, in collaboration with Nekotech Centre of Excellence, where Malawi secured US$100 million for 1,000 Malawian graduates in the United States of America.
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This comes barely over six weeks when Chakwera presided over the launch of Africa US-Presidential Forum & Science Technology and Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) artificial intelligence.
The program provides chance to build the future for the youths by harnessing science and technology at tertiary level.
Earlier in the day, Chakwera held bilateral discussions with Prime Minister of Netherlands, Mark Rutte where they discussed issues of development.
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Rutte commended President Chakwera on how he responded in assisting people during the natural disasters and for promoting rule of law while providing political and economic opportunities to all.
The Prime Minister assured Malawi of its continued support in its development agenda, particularly in the area of education.
President Chakwera continues to engage various governments and institutions as one way of soliciting financial support for Malawi’s economic recovery.—MANA report by Lisa Kadango-Malango in New York
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