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WORLD NEWS Friday 13 december 2019
UN chief warns against ‘survival of the richest’ on climate

By FRANK JORDANS negotiators have expressed
ARITZ PARRA concern that loopholes in
Associated Press a deal about international
MADRID (AP) — United Na- carbon markets could al-
tions Secretary-General low some countries to claim
António Guterres warned emissions reductions on pa-
Thursday that failure to per that haven’t actually
tackle climate change been made.
could result in economic di- “In that sense, from a Euro-
saster that would allow only pean perspective, we are
the “survival of the richest.” absolutely clear that: better
Guterres urged officials from no deal than a bad deal,”
almost 200 countries at the said Eickhout.
annual U.N. climate meet- The summit’s president,
ing in Madrid to embrace Chile’s Environment Minis-
the economic opportuni- ter Carolina Schmidt, urged
ties that come with cutting delegates to find “no ex-
greenhouse gases rather cuses for not reaching
than focus on the risks to ex- agreements” and added
isting industries dependent that the world’s “youth and
on fossil fuels. women” were demanding
“For too long, vested inter- action, “one that is equal to
ests have peddled the false Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations delivers a speech during a Global the historical challenge that
Climate Plenary event at the COP25 climate talks congress in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday, Dec.
story that economic growth 11, 2019. we are facing.”q
and tackling climate Associated Press
change are incompatible,”
the U.N. chief said. “This is
nonsense.” ily members you also have
“In fact, failing to tackle some black sheep mem-
global heating is a sure-fire bers too in the family.”
recipe for economic disas- “At the moment, it would
ter,” Guterres added. seem that they appear to
He cited a study showing be far from eating at the
that shifting to a low-carbon same table,” Aiyaz Sayed
economy could create 65 Khaiyum told reporters in
million new jobs worldwide Madrid, adding that he
by 2030 and boost growth hoped Australia would “let
by $26 trillion dollars. go of their current position.”
Scientists say countries need Small, low-lying islands like
to stop burning fossil fuels by Fiji are particularly vulner-
2050 at the latest to ensure able to tropical storms and
global temperatures don’t sea-level rise worsened by
rise more than 1.5 degrees climate change.
Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit) this Simon Stiell, environment
century. minister of the Caribbean
“This transition needs to island of Grenada, warned
be done to benefit every- that some countries at the
body,” Guterres said. “And U.N. meeting “are losing
not doing this transition will sight of the bigger picture
only allow, as I said, the sur- as if there is no climate
vival of the richest.” emergency.”
His remarks came as negoti- “This inaction is costing the
ations in Madrid neared the lives of our people and im-
official end, with disagree- pacting the lives and the
ments over key issues still livelihoods of millions around
unresolved. the world,” Stiell said.
Vulnerable countries ex- “We need to stop talking.
pressed outrage over Aus- We know what must be
tralia’s bid to hold onto piles done.”
of emissions vouchers left Talks to agree rules for
over from a now-discredit- global carbon markets and
ed system that could allow aid for poor countries al-
it to meet its climate com- ready affected by climate
mitments without reducing change have made little
pollution. progress in recent days.
Asked about Australian Bas Eickhout, an influential
Prime Minister Scott Morri- Green Party lawmaker in
son’s recent assertion that the European Parliament,
his country was part of the said maintaining the “in-
“Pacific family,” the econo- tegrity” of the 2015 Paris cli-
my minister of Fiji responded mate accord was a priority
that “when you have fam- for the 28-nation bloc. Some