Antalya, Nov. 9 -- With climate change intensifying extreme weather events and threatening communities worldwide, UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell on Monday called on countries to use COP31 to accelerate practical solutions, stressing that the urgency of the moment must drive collective action.
Addressing the opening plenary of the UN climate conference here, Stiell highlighted the issues of rising heat crisis, glacial lake outburst floods in the Himalayan region and the threat of a super El Nino, warning that the impacts of global warming are becoming increasingly devastating.
"Global heating is already costing the Earth. Appalling tragedy has hit the Himalayas, adding to the ever-expanding catalogue hitting communities across every region. A monster El Nino is piling fuel on the climate fire that's already burning through communities and economies everywhere," he said at the summit, called the Conference of the Parties or COP31.
"The vulnerable everywhere pay the highest price, and profound injustice threatens our solidarity and collective progress. Frustration is palpable," Stiell said.
He underscored that fairness must be at the heart of a truly global shift to clean energy and climate resilience, arguing that such a transition is in every country's interest as it would help limit global warming and protect communities and economies.
Stiell also pointed to the economic consequences of dependence on fossil fuels, saying the volatility in fossil fuel costs this year had triggered a global shock, pushing up household expenses and fuelling inflation.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.