Climate crisis: UN chief lays out solutions blueprint for clean energy transition

As a deadly heatwave continued to grip Europe on Tuesday, UN Secretary-General António Guterres issued an impassioned appeal for more ambitious global action on climate change caused by fossil fuels, to prevent irreversible damage. In a major keynote speech at London Climate Action Week, the UN chief called on AI firms to ”come clean” on the full environmental impact of data centres in terms their carbon, water and land footprints.

The Secretary-General also highlighted how the world’s dependence on oil is driving both the climate crisis and an energy sovereignty crunch, the latter linked to massive shipping disruption in the Strait of Hormuz and the war involving Iran, Israel and the United States.

“These crises may seem separate but they share the same destructive origin: fossil fuels. And they demand the same answer: a fast, fair transition to clean energy and a surge in adaptation, resilience and climate justice for those already facing climate harm,” Mr. Guterres said, in a call for political leadership to push through global change akin to that required to phase out leaded gasoline and to ban chemicals that created a hole in the ozone layer.

In brief: the UN plan for energy independence

• Cut emissions fast: emissions must peak now and reach net zero by 2050, including through a global push to curb methane pollution.
• Accelerate clean energy: renewables pick-up needs to continue, subsidies must end for fossil fuel projects and fossil fuel profits taxed to support vulnerable communities and the energy transition.
• Clean up AI: require major AI companies to disclose the environmental impact of their data centres and power them with renewable energy by 2030.
• Ensure a just transition: ensure the shift to clean energy creates jobs, supports communities and delivers development benefits for developing countries.
• Boost climate resilience: increase investment in adaptation, early warning systems and other measures to protect people most vulnerable to climate impacts.
• Unlock fair finance: expand affordable funding for developing countries to invest in clean energy, climate adaptation and sustainable development.
• Defend science and truth: strengthen trust in science, combat climate disinformation and protect environmental journalists and human rights defenders.

Read more>>

Source: The UN