न्यूज अभियान
हरेक खबर विशेष खबर

Antalya (Turkiye), Nov 14: United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has emphasized on urgent and widespread reductions in greenhouse gas emissions to minimize the duration and impact though it seems unavoidable that global temperatures will rise above 1.5 degrees Celsius. 
In his address to the final press conference of the ongoing UN climate change conference (COP-31), he highlighted the need to cut emissions by about six percent annually in the coming years. 
Even if countries implement their current climate commitments under the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), there is still a risk that global temperatures could rise above 2.5 degrees Celsius by the end of this century, he noted.  
"Our responsibility is to keep the rise in temperatures above 1.5 degrees to a minimum, limit it to the shortest possible period, and bring the temperature back below 1.5 degrees as quickly as possible," said Secretary-General Guterres. 
He pointed out that the need for climate justice has increased because the limited and temporary rise in temperature will make the climate-related destructive impacts we see now even more severe. 
Emphasizing that developing countries and those at high risk from climate change need more financial support for adaptation and addressing losses and damages, he stressed that developed countries must fulfill the financial commitments they made in past COP conferences. 
“Even if financial support for adaptation is tripled, it would cover less than 30 percent of the required amount,” he said. 
Secretary-General Guterres also noted that fossil fuels are the main cause of the climate crisis and that the global transition away from them needs to be accelerated in a fair, organized, and equitable manner.
He said that dependence on fossil fuels puts countries at risk of price hikes, geopolitical tensions, and instability, so reducing dependence is more important than just changing suppliers. 
For this, he emphasized the need for extensive investment and expansion in clean energy, electricity transmission networks, energy storage, energy efficiency, and clean electrification. 
He viewed that climate change should not be seen only as an environmental issue but should be linked to peace, development, human rights, and social justice.
He pointed out that climate-related disasters are increasing global instability by causing hunger, displacement, poverty, debt burdens, and competition for resources. 
“Peace cannot be kept on a burning planet. Climate disasters repeatedly push people into poverty, making it impossible to eradicate poverty,” he said. 
The Secretary-General noted that the countries and communities that have contributed least to the climate crisis are the ones suffering the most from it, highlighting that international cooperation and financial support are essential to ensure climate justice.
He highlighted as important initiatives the roadmap led by COP-30's presidency to transition away from fossil fuels and end deforestation, clean electrification, the global zero waste commitment, expansion of electricity transmission networks, and the implementation of early warning systems for all. 
Sharing that innovations in renewable energy technology and the economy have increased the prospects for a clean, safe, and reliable energy future, he noted that political will, courage, and rapid implementation are necessary for that. 
Participating in the last COP conference of his nearly 10-year tenure as Secretary-General, he made it clear that no single country can tackle climate change alone. 
He also informed that the United Nations has further strengthened implementation-focused support in areas such as early warning systems, electricity transmission networks, methane emissions, and critical minerals. 
'We share one Earth, and whether we like it or not, our fate is shared,' he said. 
Secretary-General Guterres gave a final message to the world community, saying, 'Let's face the facts, follow the science, choose the future, and never give up.'