Carlos III, Lula, Guterres, Von der Leyen and numerous international leaders urge to stop climate change

   MADRID, 1 Dic. (EUROPA PRESS) -

International leaders have expressed their concern about the growing consequences of climate change around the world and that it particularly affects the most vulnerable and have urged the countries gathered at the XXVIII UN Climate Summit being held in Dubai (United Arab Emirates) United) to accelerate action and close the gap in the reality and promises of mitigation, adaptation and financing

King Charles III of the United Kingdom has hoped "with all his heart" that COP28 represents a "critical turning point" towards genuine transformative action at a time when the milestones anticipated by scientists are being achieved. .

During his speech at the inaugural session of the high-level segment, he pointed out how he has spent a "large proportion" of his life trying to warn of the existential threats facing the planet such as global warming or the loss of biodiversity. Although he has recognized the important progress achieved, he has expressed concern that the world is left behind.

"The Earth does not belong to us. We belong to the Earth," recalled the British monarch on the second day of the Summit that will last until December 12, in which he defended that "real action is necessary to help the increasing impacts on the most vulnerable victims.

Thus, he has warned against "indifference" towards the ecological damage that has been done, because records are being broken so frequently that people may be becoming "immune" to what they really mean.

"We are carrying out a vast and terrifying experiment to change all ecological conditions, all at once, at a rate that far exceeds nature's capacity to cope with them," added Carlos III.

For his part, the President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, has stressed the urgent need to make more progress and faster to protect humanity. "We do not have two planet Earths," said the Brazilian president, whose country will host COP30 in 2025.

Regarding the action of his country, Brazil has significantly reduced deforestation in the Amazon, and aims to minimize it to zero in 2030. Brazil is one of the six largest emitters of greenhouse gases in the world, but has launched one of the plans more ambitious in climate matters.

Precisely, the South American country is home to most of the Amazon, the largest rainforest on the planet, which is home to at least 10 percent of all known animal species and has suffered decades of threats of drought, pollution of its rivers, fires and deforestation, but now, the Government of Brazil has launched a plan to declare "zero deforestation" in the enclave.

Previously, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres intervened, defining climate change as a "disease" that "only" international leaders "can cure."

The Secretary General has stated that the effects of climate change, such as the melting of Antarctic ice or the ice in Nepal, landslides, floods or rising sea levels, are "symptoms of a disease." "A disease that only you, global leaders, can cure," he said.

In a positive message, he has defended that "it is not too late" and that it is possible to prevent the planetary disaster, because the technologies exist to achieve it and avoid the "worst climate chaos" if we act now.

However, in the face of this "climate chaos", he has defended that climate action can change this trend and that renewable energies are "good" for the planet, health and the economy to face growing energy demand and connect millions. of people to affordable electricity. "Renewable energy has never been cheaper," she noted.

In her speech, the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, encouraged more countries to join carbon markets to "join forces" against climate change and offered the experience of the European Union itself to help. other partners to launch them within the framework of the international climate event.

"We all know: if we want to keep global warming below the 1.5 degree tipping point, we have to reduce global emissions. And there is a way to do it, while encouraging innovation and growth. Put carbon price!", Von der Leyen highlighted in the opening speech of the event on carbon markets.

The German leader explained that carbon pricing "pushes the private sector towards innovation", while making big polluters pay a "fair" price, generating income that can be reinvested in the fight against climate change. , in innovation and in a just transition.

Meanwhile, the President of India, Narendra Modi, has offered his country to host COP33 in 2028. The third largest emitter of greenhouse gases, has reaffirmed its objective of achieving the goal of net zero emissions in 2070 and has assured that it is on the path to reaching 50 percent clean energy by that date.

Modi has called for a "just, inclusive and equal" energy transition and reminded dozens of current global leaders that climate change has been caused by a few developed countries.

"During the past century, a small portion of humanity has indiscriminately exploited nature," said the President of India, who stressed that "however, all of humanity is paying this price, especially the people who live in the south." global".