Climate crisis is ‘outrunning us’, UN chief warns COP31

Antonio Guterres, the UN Secretary-General, warned at the COP31 summit in Turkey that the world is failing to act fast enough to prevent catastrophic climate change. He emphasized that the climate crisis is "outrunning us," threatening global destruction through rising emissions, temperatures, and extreme weather events. Guterres called for rapid action to avert this impending disaster, stating that science demands a harder fight against fossil fuels.

He pointed out that fossil fuels must face the same fate as dinosaurs, urging negotiators to prioritize increasing renewable energy sources. The summit, attended by leaders from nearly 200 countries, aimed to revive stalled efforts to transition away from fossil fuels and increase electricity's share in global energy use. However, the talks were overshadowed by ongoing crises, including wars, inflation, and extreme weather events.

Former French Prime Minister Laurent Fabius emphasized the need for leaders to take concrete actions at Antalya, as the key focus is implementation. Notable speakers included Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and China's Vice-President Han Zheng. The US, the world's largest historical emitter of greenhouse gases, boycotted the conference for the second year in a row.

Critics argue that Turkey's proposed goal of increasing electricity's share of energy consumption to 35% by 2035 may not significantly curb warming, as it does not mandate clean energy sources. Guterres stressed that the transition to clean energy is not only crucial for the climate but also for economic stability, given that three-quarters of humanity live in countries that import fossil fuels and are vulnerable to price shocks.