British Prime Minister Boris Johnson (left) and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres prepare to greet attendees during the second day of COP26 at the SECC on November 1, 2021 in Glasgow, Scotland.
Christophe Furlong | Getty Images Actualités | fake images
GLASGOW, Scotland – British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will warn world leaders at the COP26 climate summit on Monday that it is now “one minute to midnight” in the race to prevent global warming from exceeding a critical threshold.
The UK is holding UN-mediated climate talks in Glasgow, Scotland, in what has been described as humanity’s last and best chance to secure a livable future. That is why the long-awaited summit is considered one of the most important diplomatic meetings in history.
“Humanity has long passed the time devoted to climate change,” he is expected to declare Monday at the opening ceremony of the World Leaders Summit. “There is a minute to midnight and we have to act now. “
The COP26 summit, which officially opened on Sunday and ends on November 12, comes six years after the signing of the historic Paris agreement by almost 200 countries to limit the rise in global temperatures to 2 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial levels and to “continue efforts” to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
This last threshold is a crucial global goal because beyond this level, tipping points become more likely. The tipping points refer to an irreversible change in the climate system, further blocking global warming.
To have any chance of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, the ambitious goal of the 2015 Paris climate agreement, the world must cut greenhouse gas emissions by almost half over the next 8 years. and achieve net zero emissions by 2050.
The UN has warned that the world is currently in a ” catastrophic road Warming to 2.7 degrees Celsius by the turn of the century.
“Coal, cars, money and trees”
On Monday, the British prime minister will also echo his call for world leaders to move from speech and debate “to concerted and concrete action on coal, cars, money and trees.”
Johnson should say: “We need to be aware of climate change and the world needs to know when it will happen. “
The British prime minister is expected to make the remarks around noon local time, with a wave of world leaders poised to make national remarks shortly thereafter.
US President Joe Biden, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison are just a few who are expected to speak on Monday. Chinese President Xi Jinping will not attend COP26 in person, but a written statement is expected to be released today.
Diplomats and world leaders, including Johnson, have tried to minimize expectations of success as the summit approaches, although countries representing more than half the world have insisted there can be no further apology for the broken promises in Glasgow. .
Johnson, who has previously expressed skepticism about the climate crisis, told BBC TV on Sunday that he estimated the odds of COP26 being successful at around six in 10.
The UK launched its deferred net zero strategy several times last month. This was seen as a key test as the country prepared to preside over COP26, although critics suggested it was not meeting the demands of the climate emergency.
On Sunday, a key weather report from the United Nations weather agency further illustrated the scale of the climate crisis by confirming that the past seven years are should be the hottest ever, with the planet heading into “uncharted territory.”
The UN has warned that the stakes at COP26 “could not be higher.”
“Professional food trailblazer. Devoted communicator. Friendly writer. Avid problem solver. Tv aficionado. Lifelong social media fanatic.”
