UN chief urges climate summit hosts to act on fossil fuels

Summarised from 4 outlets · 6 reports · Updated 12 Nov, 01:26 · Archive

António Guterres has called on Cop31 hosts Turkey and Australia to move from discussing fossil fuel phase-outs to implementing them.

The UN secretary general António Guterres has called on Turkey and Australia, the co-hosts of Cop31, to move from discussing the end of fossil fuels to delivering it. Speaking on the second day of the conference, Guterres said it is long past time to stop treating the transition away from fossil fuels as 'taboo or intractable' and urged countries to begin 'organising it, financing it, and delivering it'.

Guterres blamed the fossil fuel industry for hindering climate action. 'Fossil fuels must go the way of the dinosaurs, but that won't happen on its own. The dinosaurs did not have a lobby, but fossil fuels do,' he said. He warned that emissions in 2025 reached all-time highs and that the last four years were the hottest ever, describing the current trajectory as 'the path to mutually assured destruction'.

The summit is being held in Turkey, a significant exporter of fossil fuels, and is presided over by Australia's Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen. On Wednesday, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese addressed the summit but failed to mention fossil fuels, instead praising his country as 'a renewable energy leader'. Australia is the world's second largest exporter of coal for power stations and the largest exporter of coal for steelmaking, and supplies a fifth of the world's exported liquefied natural gas.

Guterres said the talks should conclude with 'clear next steps' to advance a roadmap for transitioning away from fossil fuels. This roadmap was presented to delegates by Brazil, which presided over last year's climate summit. The UN chief was backed by former US Secretary of State John Kerry and other climate negotiators during his intervention.

Pacific Island leaders also voiced urgent concerns. Hilda Heine, President of the Marshall Islands, warned that failure to provide an overwhelming response to the climate crisis means 'the world we know is over'. Mia Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados, said that even if every government pledge is delivered, the world is heading for 2.6 degrees of warming, with current policies pointing to 2.8 degrees. The summit continues until 20 November.

How it is being reported

• Conflict must not distract from climate action, leaders warn COP31COP31 host Turkey has been pushing for a goal to expand electrification at the center of a deal, even as critics say it may do little to curb warming.The Japan Times · 12 Nov, 02:19
• Chris Bowen brags on CNN at UN climate summit about phasing out coal power stations - as report reveals Australian electricity bills are set to riseAnthony Albanese and Chris Bowen attended the United Nations COP31 climate conference on Wednesday.Daily Mail · 11 Nov, 20:10
• ‘The world we know is over’ without urgent climate action, Marshall Islands president tells Cop31Hilda Heine warns of effects of catastrophic global heating as world leaders meet in Turkey amid calls for urgent action on fossil fuels Cop31 live – latest updates Failure to provide an overwhelming response to the climate crisis means “the world we know is over”, the president of the embattled Marshall Islands has warned, as dozens of leaders gathered in Turkey for the Cop31 climate summit. Hilda Heine, one of a handful of Pacific Island leaders to make an impassioned speech at Cop31 on Wednesday, told other heads of state that overshooting the 1.5C Paris temperature target would mean…The Guardian · 11 Nov, 18:52
• Anthony Albanese fails to mention fossil fuels in Cop summit speechAustralian PM boasts of success in renewables but is criticised for not addressing the nation’s huge coal industry Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Anthony Albanese said governments had a “solemn responsibility” to act on climate change in a historic speech to the UN’s climate summit, but one which failed to mention the fossil fuels driving the crisis. The Australia prime minister landed in the Mediterranean resort city of Antalya on Wednesday morning where the Cop31 talks are being presided over by his climate change minister, Chris Bowen, but hosted by Turkey.…Guardian World · 11 Nov, 13:57
• ‘Climate crisis is outrunning us,’ UN chief Guterres says at COP31Guterres says the world must fight harder, accuses the fossil fuel lobby of delaying climate action at critical talks.Al Jazeera · 11 Nov, 12:48
• UN chief urges Cop31 hosts Turkey and Australia to turn fossil fuel promises into actionAntónio Guterres calls for ‘clear next steps’ as countries face pressure to agree concrete measures Turkey and Australia, the co-hosts of crucial climate talks, must urgently move from discussing the end of fossil fuels to delivering it, the UN chief has said. “It is long past time to stop treating the transition away from fossil fuels as taboo or intractable,” António Guterres said, in a dramatic intervention on the second day of the conference on Tuesday. “Now, here at Cop31, we must move from discussing the transition to organising it, financing it, and delivering it.” Continue reading...The Guardian · 10 Nov, 18:49

In this story: António Guterres · Turkey · Australia · Anthony Albanese · Chris Bowen · Hilda Heine · Marshall Islands · Brazil

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