Climate conference, world leaders concerned about the consequences of extreme weather

2024-11-13 18:15:24, Kosova & Bota CNA

Climate conference, world leaders concerned about the consequences of extreme

Dozens of world leaders attending the annual United Nations climate conference in Azerbaijan are expressing concern about the consequences of climate change. Beyond the speeches on extreme weather, the participants have managed to secure the commitment of major banks to give more loans to developing countries to face the consequences of global warming.

Leaders of small island countries have complained that they are facing the biggest consequences of climate change. They complain that even the aid from developed countries, which are the main causes of climate change, is too small and delayed. Grenada's Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell spoke in detail about a months-long drought earlier in the year as his country now faces a Category 5 hurricane. The Prime Minister of the island of Niue, on the other side of the globe, next to Fiji and New Zealand , said climate change is the biggest threat facing his country.

"We are failing to achieve the goal of not allowing temperatures to rise above 1.5 degrees Celsius. For my country and the Pacific region, climate change is the biggest threat we are facing", said Mr. Tagelagi.

Climate change has caused Earth to be over 1.5 degrees Celsius warmer this year than the pre-industrial average. The limit of 1.5 degrees Celsius was set in 2015 during the Paris conference. One of the main commitments to keep temperatures from rising above 1.5 degrees Celsius is to reduce emissions from fossil fuels to zero by 2050. Scientists attending the conference in Baku say this is not happening.

"Emissions from fossil fuels have increased again in 2024 and we are not doing enough globally to reduce them," says Mike O'Sullivan, a scientist at the University of Exeter.

"If we take today's emission levels, a permanent increase in temperature beyond 1.5 degrees Celsius will occur within six years. So there must be a massive reduction in emissions," says Stephen Sitch, an environmental scientist.

The scientists acknowledged that the United States and Europe have reduced emissions by investing more in renewable energy.

Speaking on behalf of the United States, climate envoy John Podesta said the consequences of inaction are already clear, recalling the aftermath of deadly hurricanes Helene and Milton in the United States and extreme weather in other parts of the world.

"We have a clear choice between a safer, cleaner future and a dirtier, more dangerous and more expensive future. We know what we have to do. Let's get to work and finish it," Mr. Podesta said.

Participants in this meeting are seeking to reach an agreement on funds that developed countries should share with developing countries to help them increase clean energy production. An initial version of this agreement was released on Wednesday, but it has not yet been finalized.

A group of lenders, including the World Bank, announced on Tuesday that they will increase the funds that poor countries can borrow to $120 billion by 2030. This represents a roughly 60% increase from the amount set a year ago. first./ VOA