Apocalyptic Alarm: UN chief rallies world leaders for urgent climate action amidst unprecedented global crisis

United Nations Secretary General António Guterres delivered a strong cautionary message during a high-level summit on the climate crisis. Addressing world leaders, he expressed that humanity has opened the gates to a catastrophic situation. Guterres highlighted the disastrous impact of extreme heat, which has resulted in distressing consequences such as farmers witnessing their crops being swept away by floods and the emergence of diseases caused by sweltering temperatures. These remarks were made during his speech inaugurating the Climate Ambition Summit, held concurrently with the UN General Assembly in New York.

"Climate action is overshadowed by the magnitude of the challenge," he cautioned, emphasizing that without any alterations, we are moving "towards a perilous and unsteady world."

The objective of the one-day conference, occurring amidst the world grappling with catastrophic floods and fires, is to generate international momentum in reducing pollution that contributes to global warming, leading up to the UN's COP28 climate summit in Dubai scheduled for December.

In Derna, eastern Libya, the aftermath of the freak floods on September 11, 2023, is being observed by people. The flash floods in this region resulted in the tragic loss of over 2,300 lives solely in the coastal city of Derna. The emergency services of the government based in Tripoli reported this devastating statistic on September 12.-(Photo by -/AFP via Getty Images)

AFP/Getty Images

Horrific Libya flooding made up to 50 times more likely by planet-warming pollution, scientists find

The Wednesday summit stands out because Guterres has limited the list of speakers to countries with well-defined and impactful climate plans, as well as those willing to send a high-ranking representative to address the event.

Out of the approximately 200 countries attending the General Assembly in New York, only 34 nations and seven non-governmental organizations have obtained speaking slots at the United Nations summit.

China, India, and the United States - some of the largest contributors to pollution globally - were noticeably absent from the list of speakers. However, it is worth mentioning that US climate envoy John Kerry is in attendance. Another notable absence is UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who is currently facing criticism domestically for his proposed actions to undermine the country's climate pledges.

Guterres stated that the objective of the summit is to enhance ambitions for climate action. Selwin Hart, a special adviser to the UN Secretary-General on climate action and just transition, expressed concerns about significant regression in commitments.

On September 29, 2022, Christine White surveys the destruction caused by the floods in Lost Creek, Kentucky. Chase Hays finds himself in a moral dilemma. Witnessing the devastation brought upon his Appalachian community, he decides to take action against the coal mine responsible, yet he fears being labeled an adversary of the coal industry. This 34-year-old American is not alone in his struggle. The people of eastern Kentucky face the challenge of questioning an industry that has historically provided the only lucrative employment opportunities in the area. As the midterm elections approach, few candidates are willing to address the issue of climate change with these individuals.

Stefani Reynolds/AFP/Getty Images

Insurance premiums could surge in these American cities because of climate disasters, new data shows

"The countries that have pledged to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, and to the 1.5-degree target of the Paris Agreement, are paradoxically issuing more licenses for fossil fuel extraction, despite scientific evidence clearly showing that this is completely inconsistent with the objective of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees," he stated in a CNN interview on Tuesday.

During his speech on Wednesday, Guterres urged developed countries to achieve net-zero emissions by 2040, demanding that they remove an equal amount of greenhouse gas emissions from the atmosphere as they produce, a goal which is ten years earlier than the majority of current commitments.

Guterres urged countries to establish timelines for eliminating fossil fuel emissions and to provide greater financial support to low- and middle-income nations. This aid would enable them to transition to clean energy swiftly and develop measures to enhance their resilience against the escalating severity of extreme weather events. According to Guterres, persistent delays, manipulation, and the profit-driven motives of established entities profiting from fossil fuel industries have caused us to fall decades behind, requiring us to urgently catch up.