As part of the COP29 climate negotiations, António Guterres, Secretary-General of the UN, urges non-state actors to intensify their efforts to achieve carbon neutrality.
During a meeting with non-governmental actors on the sidelines of the COP29 climate negotiations, António Guterres, Secretary-General of the UN, emphasized the urgency of intensifying global efforts to achieve carbon neutrality. by 2050. This refers to the balance between the quantity of greenhouse gases produced and the quantity eliminated from the atmosphere.
Faced with increasingly frequent climate disasters and the slowdown in initiatives to limit emissions to 1.5°C, Guterres’ message was clear: “ It’s time to accelerate, not backward. »
Antonio Guterres welcomed the initiatives of cities, regions, businesses and financial institutions, which are pillars in the global transition to a low-carbon future. However, he stressed that the commitments made must be transformed into tangible actions, aligned with rigorous climate trajectories.
These actions include strong and responsible transition plans. These must be consistent with the objective of 1.5°C, chart a progressive decarbonization and eliminate fossil fuels.
The UN Secretary General also stressed the need to disclose policies related to lobbying and indirect emissions, while leading to greenwashing. Likewise, he said, scope 3 emissions, value chain issues, must be addressed without using unreliable mechanisms. This includes in particular the elimination of questionable compensation.
Essential cooperation with governments
Guterres called on businesses and institutions to work closely with governments on their National Climate Plans (NDCs), essential to implementing the goals of the Paris Agreement. According to him, climate commitments can no longer be voluntary. “ Disclosure of credible transition plans must be mandatory. The future of humanity is at stake “, he said.
Guterres convened the high-level meeting of non-state actors to highlight their actions and strategies since 2022, in line with key recommendations published in a report he launched at COP27 in Sharm-el-Sheikh.
The report, initially presented at COP27, remains an essential roadmap for climate commitments. It provides 10 concrete recommendations to guide non-state actors in their carbon neutrality efforts, with a focus on consistency, transparency and accountability.
The head of the UN General Assembly concluded his speech with a call for ambition and solidarity. “ Now is the time to be bold and be transparent. Together, we must put in place a framework that ensures that all actors move in the same direction, to protect future generations “, he pleaded.
Discussions will continue until COP30, scheduled for next year, where concrete progress will be expected in commitments and implementation of climate strategies globally.
ARD/Sf/te/APA
