United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, on a brief South Pacific tour in New Zealand, has warned the world was “not on track” to limiting global temperature rises.
Speaking to the media in Auckland alongside New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, Mr Guterres warned about the dangers of not addressing climate change. In a strong message for action on climate change,
Mr Guterres said international political resolve was fading and it was the small island nations that were “really in the front line” and would suffer most.
His visit, ahead of the Climate Action Summit in September in New York will also take him to Fiji, Tuvalu and Vanuatu, which are under threat from rising sea levels.
“We are seeing everywhere a clear demonstration that we are not on track to achieve the objectives defined in the Paris Agreement,” Mr Guterres said on the failure to limit rises to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial revolution levels.
“And the paradox is, that as things are getting worse on the ground, political moves seem to be fading,” he added in the joint press conference with Ms Ardern.
However, he did excuse New Zealand from his accusation, describing the country’s leadership as “extremely important” after it introduced legislation to become carbon neutral by 2050, although greenhouse gas emissions from its economically vital agricultural sector will not have to meet the commitment.
Three steps, continued Mr Guterres, would make a major difference in the urgent fight against climate change: shifting shift taxes from salaries to carbon, ending subsidies to fossil fuels, and stopping the construction of new coal plants by 2020.
“Taxpayers’ money should not be used to boost hurricanes, to spread drought and heatwaves, to bleach corals or to melt glaciers.
“We want a green economy not a grey economy in the world. It’s very important that you convince governments that they must act because there’s still a lot of resistance.”
Ms Ardern called climate change “the biggest challenge” facing the international community and said it would be “gross negligence” to avoid the issue.
The UN chief also recognised the important role played by Generation Zero, a New Zealand-based youth-led organization dedicated to providing solutions for the country to cut carbon pollution through smarter transport, liveable cities & independence from fossil fuels.
Mr Guterres said that youth can help to make sure that “we are able to reach our central objective: not to have more than 1.5°C of increasing temperature at the end of the century.
“I’m confident that youth around the world will be able to convey to their governments a very clear message,” he added.
During his three days in New Zealand, Mr Guterres will also meet with Muslim leaders in Christchurch to show solidarity following the March 15 massacre in which a lone gunman who attacked two mosques during Friday prayers killed 51 people.
