2024-07-15 19:25:58
“If we do not signal the terminal decline of the fossil fuel era as we know it, we are preparing our own terminal decline,” he said at the opening ceremony of the Conference of the Parties on Climate Change (COP28).
“If this transition is not just, we will not have a transition at all. That means having justice within and between countries,” he added, arguing that everyone – women, indigenous peoples and young people, in all their diversity – should have an equal opportunity to benefit from these transitions.
Mr. Stiell also shared his vision for “doing things differently” over the next two years, noting that in 2024, countries will present their first biennial transparency report.
This will mean that the reality of individual progress cannot be hidden, he stressed, adding that at COP29, States Parties should also agree on how to finance this massive change, with the new financing target.
Recalling that by early 2025, countries are due to provide new Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), he called on States Parties to start working on these contributions now.
As for COP30, the UN official noted that every commitment – on finance, adaptation and mitigation – must be consistent with a 1.5 degree C world, noting that science says there are about six years left before we exhaust the planet’s capacity to cope with emissions.
Mr. Stiell also called on States parties to stop trying and act responsibly to speed things up, insisting on transparency in actions and decisions.
And to better ensure this accountability, the UNFCCC is committed to following up on all announcements made and initiatives launched. “That way, long after the cameras have left, we can ensure that our promises continue to serve the planet,” he concluded.
2024-07-15 19:25:58