UN chief urges world not to yield to 'naked greed' of fossil fuel interests
By Valerie Volcovici
(Reuters) -U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told a climate summit of leaders at the U.N. General Assembly on Wednesday that time was running out to tackle climate change, thanks in part to the «naked greed» of fossil fuel interests.
With the two-week U.N. climate summit, COP28, due to start on Nov. 29 in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, Guterres implored national policymakers to phase out climate-warming fossil fuels.
«The move from fossil fuels to renewables is happening – but we are decades behind,» Guterres said at the start of the one-day summit. «We must make up time lost to foot-dragging, arm-twisting and the naked greed of entrenched interests raking in billions from fossil fuels.»
Guterres invited 34 countries to speak on Wednesday in recognition of their strong action on climate change, including Brazil, Canada, Pakistan, South Africa and the island nation of Tuvalu.
Those not invited to speak included the world's two top polluters — the United States and China – though U.S. Special Envoy on Climate Change John Kerry was in the audience.
China's U.N. mission did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Kenyan President William Ruto urged countries to create a universal tax on fossil fuel trades, levies on aviation and maritime emissions and financial transactions to raise trillions of dollars. «Neither Africa nor the developing world stands in need of charity» from developed countries, Ruto said.
California Governor Gavin Newsom spoke about his state's leadership on climate policies, including a ban on the sale of new gas engine vehicles by 2035. He also called out the oil industry for obstructing climate action.
«This climate crisis is a fossil fuel crisis,» he said,
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