Leaders at climate change meets in New York
23/9/2024 6:11
A marathon week of climate
change meetings opened in New York on Sunday, with celebrities
and world leaders mingling with corporate leaders over talks on
how to drive climate action forward.
On Sunday, U.N. Secretary General António Guterres launched
a two-day, climate-themed "Summit for the Future" as part of the
U.N. General Assembly. National leaders addressed the group
after adopting a "Pact for the Future" aimed at ensuring and
increasing cooperation between nations.
Many underlined the urgent need for more access to climate
finance, and some warned that mistrust was growing between
nations as climate-fueled disasters mount.
"International challenges are moving faster than our ability
to solve them," Guterres told leaders at the summit. "Crises are
interacting and feeding off each other – for example, as digital
technologies spread climate disinformation, that deepens
distrust and fuels polarization."
Prime Minister Mia Mottley of Barbados echoed Guterres'
warning and urged a "reset" in how global institutions are
governed so they can better respond to crises and serve those
most in need.
"The distress in our institutions of governance, the
mistrust between the governors and the governed, will continue
to foster social alienation the world over at the very time that
we need to find as many people as possible to shape a new
world," Mottley said.
On Monday, the U.N. climate summit continues with speeches
from China, India, and the United States.
Elsewhere, U.S. President Joe Biden is expected to deliver a
speech at an event also attended by actress and climate activist
Jane Fonda and World Bank President Ajay Banga, among others.
With the U.N. General Assembly marking the last all-country
gathering before the COP29 climate summit in Baku, Azerbaijan,
this week offers an opportunity to advance global negotiations
on setting a new annual global finance target.
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