The most expensive option to face the coronavirus and climate change is to do nothing

This was announced on Tuesday by the Secretary-General of the United Nations during the Petersberg Climate Dialogue, the first major environmental meeting of the year that brings together ministers from thirty countries for two days in Berlin through videoconference.

António Guterres reminded those attending the meeting that 2019 was the second hottest year on record, and that it is part of the hottest decade in history.

The Cost of Inaction

For that reason, he stressed the need to invest immediately in climate action, indicating that “the delay in the implementation of climate measures will cost us much more each year in terms of lives and livelihoods lost, businesses paralyzed and economies damaged. The biggest cost is to do nothing.

And to achieve this, it is necessary to adopt measures that increase resilience to the phenomenon and reduce greenhouse gas emissions to limit the increase in global temperature to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

The Secretary-General stressed that, in order to achieve this, the world now has two great allies: technology and public opinion, especially through young people, but that an indispensable element, such as sufficient political will, is still lacking.

Faced with this shortcoming, Guterres encourages countries to act with a greater degree of ambition in terms of mitigation, adaptation and financing.

“When it comes to mitigation, we need all countries to commit to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. In terms of adaptation, we need to support countries that are less responsible for climate change, but that are more vulnerable to its effects (…) And for this we need adequate financing, starting with the promised mobilization of 100,000 million dollars per year for mitigation and adaptation activities in developing countries,” he said.

However, the emergence of the coronavirus crisis and its subsequent recovery will create an opportunity to steer the planet towards “a more sustainable and inclusive path, a path that addresses climate change, protects the environment, reverses biodiversity loss and ensures the long-term health and safety of humanity.”

Six actions for recovery

To that end, Guterres proposed six climate measures to shape the recovery.

1- The trillions destined for the recovery from Covid-19, must serve to create new jobs and businesses through a clean and ecological transition.
• Investments must accelerate the decarbonisation of all aspects of our economy

2- Taxpayers’ money used to bail out businesses must be invested in creating green jobs and sustainable and inclusive growth.
• Should not be used for the rescue of outdated, polluting and carbon-intensive industries

3- Turn grey economies into green ones through tax capacity, making societies and people more resilient thanks to a just transition for all that leaves no one behind.

4- Looking to the future, public funds must be invested in the future, going to sustainable sectors and projects that help the environment and the climate.
• Fossil fuel subsidies must end, carbon emission must come at a price, and polluters must pay for their pollution

5- The global financial system must take into account climate-related risks and opportunities.
• Investors can no longer ignore the price our planet pays for unsustainable growth

6- To solve both the climate and the coronavirus emergencies, we must work together as an international community.

Climate change also does not respect borders

As he already indicated with the coronavirus pandemic, Guterres pointed out that greenhouse gases do not respect borders either.

“Isolation is a trap. No country can succeed alone,” said the Secretary-General, who recalled that we already have a framework for action: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on climate change.

The Secretary-General used the meeting to call on all countries to prepare their national climate action plans and strategies to achieve zero net carbon dioxide emissions by 2050.

Two great powers, two great obstacles

Despite progress in more than a hundred countries, Guterres acknowledged that the key to combating the climate crisis lies in the two major emitters of polluting gases.

“Let’s not forget that G20 countries collectively account for more than 80% of global emissions and more than 85% of the global economy. They must also commit to carbon neutrality by 2050. The Paris Agreement was made possible largely by the commitment of the United States and China.

Without the contribution of the big emitters, all our efforts will be doomed,” the Secretary-General stressed.

Source: UN News