UN chief calls for breakthrough in mitigation, adaptation, finance, ending coal in climate action

UNITED NATIONS -- United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday called on the international community to make a breakthrough this year in mitigation, adaptation, finance and phasing out coal in the effort to slow the pace of global warming.

"We need a breakthrough on mitigation," the UN chief said in his video remarks to the 2021 Ministerial on Climate Action, convened by China, the European Union and Canada.

"All countries, companies, cities and financial institutions must commit to net zero, with clear and credible plans to achieve this, starting today," said the secretary-general. "We need credible, coherent plans to cut emissions by 45 percent compared to 2010 levels, by 2030."

On adaptation, the top UN official called on major development banks and donors to commit half their climate finance annually to adaptation - and to ensure those resources are accessible to the most vulnerable.

Referring to finance, Guterres said that he asks the leaders of the Group of Seven and main donors to mobilize the annual $100 billion, promised more than a decade ago.

"The share of grant finance needs to be at least doubled from current levels. This is a question of credibility and justice. We need all multilateral development banks to commit to full Paris alignment by 2024 at the latest," said the secretary-general.

Guterres also called for efforts to make a breakthrough on ending coal.

"Phasing out coal is the most important step to limit temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius," said Guterres. "We must end the financing of coal-fired power. No new coal plants should be approved."

"Coal must be phased out by 2030 in OECD (the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) countries, and by 2040 globally," he noted.

2020年11月20日，联合国秘书长安东尼奥·古特雷斯在纽约联合国总部的新闻发布会上发言。[图片/机构]联合国-联合国秘书长安东尼奥·古特雷斯周二呼吁国际社会今年在减缓、适应、融资和逐步淘汰煤炭方面取得突破，以减缓全球变暖的步伐。“我们需要在减缓气候变化方面取得突破，”这位联合国秘书长在向由中国、欧盟和加拿大召集的2021年气候行动部长级会议发表视频讲话时表示。“从今天开始，所有国家、公司、城市和金融机构都必须致力于实现净零利率，并制定明确可信的计划来实现这一目标，”秘书长说。“我们需要可信、连贯的计划，到2030年，将排放量比2010年水平减少45%。”在适应气候变化方面，这位联合国高级官员呼吁主要发展银行和捐助者每年将一半的气候资金用于适应气候变化，并确保最弱势群体能够获得这些资源。谈到财政，古特雷斯说，他要求七国集团领导人和主要捐助者调动10多年前承诺的每年1000亿美元。“赠款资金的份额需要比目前水平至少增加一倍。这是一个信誉和正义的问题。我们需要所有多边开发银行承诺最迟在2024年实现巴黎会议的完全一致。古特雷斯还呼吁努力在终止煤炭方面取得突破。古特雷斯说:“逐步淘汰煤炭是将气温上升限制在1.5摄氏度以内的最重要的一步。”。“我们必须停止对燃煤发电的融资。不应批准新建燃煤电厂。”“在经合组织(经济合作与发展组织)国家，煤炭必须在2030年前逐步淘汰，在全球范围内，也要在2040年前淘汰，”他指出。