UN chief blasts fossil fuel companies for trying to ‘knee-cap’ climate progress – National | 24CA News
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres mentioned on Thursday that nations should begin phasing out oil, coal and fuel – not simply emissions – and demanded fossil gas corporations “cease and desist” measures that intention to “knee-cap” local weather progress.
“The problem is not simply fossil fuel emissions. It’s fossil fuels – period,” Guterres advised reporters. “The solution is clear: The world must phase out fossil fuels in a just and equitable way – moving to leave oil, coal and gas in the ground.”
His remarks come after the United Arab Emirates, which can host U.N. local weather change negotiations (COP28) later this yr, mentioned that talks ought to concentrate on phasing out emissions, not fossil fuels. Negotiators are struggling to conform to an agenda for COP28, as a result of begin Nov. 30, which might put talks in danger.
Some rich Western states and climate-afflicted island nations have been pushing for a section out of fossil fuels, whereas resource-rich nations have campaigned to maintain drilling.
“Fossil fuel companies must also cease and desist influence peddling and legal threats designed to knee-cap progress. I am thinking particularly of recent attempts to subvert net-zero alliances, invoking anti-trust legislation,” Guterres mentioned.
Republican politicians in some U.S. states pushing again in opposition to sustainability efforts have charged that corporations in such local weather alliances and utilizing environmental, social and governance (ESG) requirements could possibly be breaking anti-trust legal guidelines by aligning their insurance policies.
At least seven members of the Net-Zero Insurance Alliance, launched in 2021, have left – together with 5 of the eight founding events – over what they are saying are authorized issues about antitrust lawsuits.
“Governments are pivotal in setting the record straight. They must help by providing clear reassurance: Collective climate action does not violate anti-trust – it upholds the public trust,” Guterres mentioned after assembly with a gaggle of civil society local weather leaders from around the globe.
Guterres additionally referred to as out corporations for not but reaching modest operational emissions reductions targets they’ve set and for relying too closely on “dubious offset” credit.
For instance, Shell plans to scrap its goal to cut back oil output by 1% to 2% per yr having already largely reached its purpose for manufacturing cuts, primarily by promoting oil belongings reminiscent of its U.S. shale business.
“Fossil fuel industry transition plans must be transformation plans, that chart a company’s move to clean energy – and away from a product incompatible with human survival,” Guterres mentioned. “Otherwise, they are just proposals to become more efficient planet-wreckers.”
He referred to as on them to create detailed plans that embody emissions discount targets not only for their operations however that concentrate on their finish use.
–Additional reporting by Valerie Volcovici; Editing by Aurora Ellis
