In his opening address, Guterres said: “Our planet is talking to us and telling us something - and so are people everywhere. Climate action tops the list of people’s concerns, across countries, age and gender.
“We must listen - and we must act - and we must choose wisely. On behalf of this and future generations, I urge you: choose ambition; choose solidarity; choose to safeguard our future and save humanity.”
He focused on fossil fuels in particular, describing how the world’s “addiction to fossil fuels is pushing humanity to the brink”.
Guterres added: “It’s time to say: enough. Enough of brutalising biodiversity. Enough of killing ourselves with carbon. Enough of treating nature like a toilet. Enough of burning and drilling and mining our way deeper. We are digging our own graves. “
He suggested that countries must revisit their national climate plans and policies every year in order to keep "the goal of 1.5°C” (the scientifically determined maximum...