Antonio Guterres warned that the ‘double risk’ to coal, oil and gas by major economies would exacerbate climate change.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres have accused some rich countries of committing a dangerous act run on fossil fuels In response to the war in Ukraine, it warned new investments made in coal, oil and gas are “illusory” due to their impact on climate change.
“The energy crisis exacerbated by the war in Ukraine has seen a double risk to fossil fuels by major economies,” Guterres said in a video speech on Thursday. Three at the World Summit in Austria, a climate conference held in Vienna.
The meeting marks the first major meeting of its kind since the latest United Nations Climate Change Conference – COP26 – held in Glasgow, Scotland, last November. Critics said the summit delivery failure measures needed to tackle the climate crisis.
Meanwhile, since Russia invaded Ukraine, some countries have turned to buy more non-Russian fossil fuels or invest in new oil and gas fields to accumulate their energy supplies. surname.
For example, this month, Germany and the Netherlands announced plans to develop a new gas field in the North Sea, and Prime Minister Olaf Scholz said Germany wants to pursue gas projects with Senegal.
State-owned QatarEnergy’s North Field East is expanding as part of the world’s largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) project, and the UK is funding an LNG project in Mozambique.
Scientists warn steep emissions cuts are needed
Guterres said “new funding for fossil fuel exploration and production infrastructure is illusory” and will exacerbate global problems of pollution and climate change.
Scientists say global carbon dioxide emissions need to cut almost half by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050 to avoid the worst effects of climate change amid efforts to limit global warming to below 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) and good at least 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) below pre-industrial levels consistent with the 2015 Paris climate agreement.
Countries investing in new fossil fuels have cut targets CO2 emissions by 2030. Germany says diversification of gas supplies in the short term will not hurt climate plans to reduce fossil fuel use and achieve an ambitious target Renewable energy innovation has been implemented since the Russian invasion began.
The International Energy Agency has called for an end to new oil, gas and coal projects to meet global climate goals, and says investments in renewables must triple. by 2030. Guterres urges financial institutions to finance renewable energy.
“If we’ve invested massively in renewables in the past, we shouldn’t be too lenient with the volatility of the fossil fuel market today,” he said, noting that prices Rising oil and gas prices have sent energy bills around the world skyrocketing.
Mr. Guterres also called for increased funding for poorer countries as they face the effects of climate change, saying the effort adapt to warming temperatures should be given as much priority as plans to cut CO2 emissions.
The next major global climate conference – COP27 – will take place in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, in November.
