COP26: UK PM calls on world leaders to cut carbon emissions ahead of UN climate talks

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, during his speech on climate crisis at the United Nations, urged humanity to "grow up" and "come of age." Johnson called on world leaders to "recognise the scale of the challenge."

The British prime minister's statement comes just ahead of the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) to be held in Glasgow. Additionally, Johnson echoed UN Chief Antonio Guterres's urge to limit a global rise in temperatures to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

'The turning point for humanity'

Speaking at the 76th UNGA, Prime Minister Johnson urged all world leaders to be a part of "the turning point for humanity." He urged all to take responsibility for the destruction inflicted on the planet and work towards mending the harm.

"We have come to a faithful age when we know roughly how to drive and we know how to unlock the drinks cabinet and to engage in all sorts of activity that is not only potentially embarrassing but also terminal for ourselves and others," the British PM explained. "If you imagine that million years as the lifespan of an individual human being - about 80 years- then we are now at sweet 16," he said adding, "the adolescence of humanity is coming to an end."

The British Prime Minister also compared the earth with an eggshell. "The world- this precious blue sphere with its eggshell crust and whisper fun atmosphere- is not some indestructible toy, some bouncer plastic romper room against which we can hold ourselves to our heart's content," he said.

To explain the "serious trouble" about climate crisis he quoted Oxford philosopher Toby Ord and added that mankind is "doing such irreversible damage that along before a million years are up, we will have made this beautiful planet effectively uninhabitable- not just for us but for many other species."

Johnson calls on world leaders to cut carbon emissions

Prime Minister Boris Johnson also called on world leaders to take vital actions to cut carbon emissions. In order to restrain the rise in temperature the countries need to opt for carbon neutrality, i.e. net-zero, by the middle of the century, he said. He urged all countries to step up and commit to substantial carbon reduction to comply with the Paris Agreement. He praised Chinese President Xi Jinping for his step to end international coal financing, but also appealed to Beijing to gradually "phase out the domestic use of coal as well."

Every country must cut down carbon by 68% to maintain the stipulated 1.5-degree mark, he noted. "If we keep on the current track then the temperatures will go up by 2.7 degrees or more by the end of the century," Johnson mentioned. Lastly, the UK PM appealed to the citizens and leaders "to come together in a collective coming of age."

COP26: Glasgow climate change summit 

The UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) was originally scheduled in November last year but postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. The conference, jointly hosted by the UK and Italy, is now planned to occur at Scottish Event Campus in Glasgow. According to the official website of COP26, the conference aims to protect and restore ecosystems and build resistance against climate change.

(Image: AP/Pixabay/Representative)