In the evening, at the United Nations COP 29 Climate Summit, world leaders will meet, including: President Andrzej Duda. UN President Antonio Guterres had already addressed the leaders in blunt words.
UN chief: 2024 is a master class in climate destruction
– 2024 is a master class in climate destruction – this is how the Secretary General of the United Nations began his speech, quoted by “The Guardian”.
Families fleeing another hurricane, workers and pilgrims collapsing in unbearable heat, floods devastating communities and infrastructure, children going to bed hungry as droughts destroy crops. All these disasters and many more are compounded by human-caused climate change
– said Antonio Guterres. He also emphasized that global supply chain shocks meant that “no country was spared” from the increase prices. He also added that if CO2 emissions do not fall and adaptation to new conditions does not increase, each economy will face “much more anger” from their societies. In his opinion, however, there is hope, because, as he recalled, the countries are already there have committed to phasing out fossil fuels at last year's COP28 conference. “It's time to move forward, humanity is behind you,” Guterres said.
According to the UN chief, “no group, no business or government” will stop the “clean energy revolution.” Guterres listed three priorities. First, “emergency” reductions in CO2 emissions, led by G20 countries. Second, protecting people from the climate crisis. And finally, thirdly, achieving the overall financial goal for the above tasks, which should amount to at least PLN 1 trillion dollars annually.
President of Azerbaijan: Oil, gas and other resources are a gift from God
Meanwhile, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev stated that oil, gas and other natural resources are “God's gift” and should not be a reason for criticism of the countries possessing them. Azerbaijan has 7 billion barrels of oil and plans to increase gas production by 30 percent over the next decade. Oil and gas revenues account for 35 percent of the country's GDP. In 2022, Azerbaijan signed an agreement with the European Union to double gas supplies to help Europe reduce its dependence on Russia. Ilham Aliyev defended this agreement in his speech.
“It wasn't our idea,” he said. – We were asked for help and we agreed to help Europe in terms of energy security – he added. Meanwhile, before leaving for Baku, President Andrzej Duda said that during COP29 there will be a discussion “on climate protection, on the solutions that need to be implemented in connection with this issue for the future, as well as on the development of modern technologies.” – One of the topics will be the use of hydrogen for green energy purposes – he emphasized.