'Every country should declare a state of climate emergency': UN chief tells world leaders

World leaders should declare "climate emergency" in their respective countries, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in opening remarks at a climate summit that marked the fifth anniversary of the Paris climate accord. In a virtual address to the leaders of the world on December 12, the UN chief urged that there was a “state of emergency” with respect to global climate change and the nations were unable to meet the targets set in 2015. Guterres said that there weren’t considerable efforts from the countries to cut global emissions by 45 percent by 2030 from the 2010 levels. “Promises were not enough,” the UN chief iterated, adding that there is an urgency for revised and strengthened international contributions.

“Five years after Paris, we are still not going in the right direction,” the UN Secretary-General said at the Climate Ambition Summit.

“Paris promised to limit temperature rise to as close to 1.5°C as possible, but the commitments made in Paris were far from enough to get there.”

Furthermore, the UN chief called on the world leaders to declare a state of climate emergency in their countries until carbon neutrality was reached. “Some 38 countries have already done so, recognizing the urgency and the stakes,” he said. Guterres told world leaders that the revised targets for reducing greenhouse-gas emissions by the Paris accord signatories were to be submitted before the 26th Conference of Parties, to be held in Glasgow, which has been postponed a year duet COVID-19. 

Read: Afghan Peace Talks Receive Backing From UN, Russia Votes Against Resolution

Read: UN Guterres: Pandemic Is 'a Crisis Like No Other'

[The largely power self-sufficient Bosco Verticale (Vertical Forest) towers in Milan, Italy. Credit: UN]

Nations to 'reduce' carbon footprint

More than 70 world leaders addressed the one-day virtual climate summit meeting to discuss measures, policies, and stricter actions to address global warming. Countries worldwide came forward to strengthen the national climate plans (NDCs), as per the UN’s live coverage. The UK announced that it will cut emissions by 68 percent, meanwhile, the European Union bloc committed to a 55 percent, Pakistan scrapped its new coal power plants, and India resolved to double its renewable energy target, and China committed to non-fossil fuel as its primary energy consumption, increasing it about 25 percent by 2030. At least 24 countries announced new commitments, strategies, or plans to reduce their carbon footprint.

Read: UN Alarmed By 'overwhelming' Reports Of Killings Of Eritreans Refugees In Tigray

Read: UN Chief Calls For Commitment To Net Zero By 2050