Editorial | World needs to show will on climate after teen turns up heat
- After being scolded by their failure to do enough to keep temperatures in check, leaders must through collective action attempt to prevent disaster
There would seem little more incongruous than a slightly built schoolgirl scolding the world’s high and mighty at the United Nations for being bad. But that was what Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg did at the Climate Action Summit, shaming leaders of more than 60 countries for failing to do enough to keep global temperatures in check. They responded as if naughty children, conceding she was right and pledging to take tougher measures to prevent the world from warming to dangerous levels. Dramatic changes are needed, though, and there are doubts, given the past patchy global response, whether what has been promised will be delivered.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres struck a positive note, telling the summit that with each action, the tide to keep temperatures in check was turning, “although we have a long way to go”. He listed 77 countries committed to carbon neutrality by 2050, 70 that had promised to do more to tackle climate change and 100 business leaders pledging to join the green economy. Only officials from nations with concrete commitments were allowed to speak. Those from China, India, Germany, France and Britain were among those to do so; the United States, the world’s second-biggest greenhouse gas producer after China, Japan and Australia, did not.
US President Donald Trump, who has pledged to withdraw his country from the Paris climate change accord, briefly stopped by and there was an awkward moment as he made eye contact with Thunberg. The 16-year-old girl, who began her campaign a year ago and led global strikes last Friday, had nothing but anger in remarks before officials spoke, berating them for “empty words” and repeatedly saying, “how dare you”. Her fury is largely justified; it is the activism of young people that has spurred the world into fresh action.
China and the University of California at Berkeley will join forces to advance research into low-carbon technology to fight climate change. Microsoft founder Bill Gates spearheaded an effort between his foundation, the World Bank and a number of governments to provide US$790 million to 300 million farmers to help them adapt to the changing conditions. Among other efforts, Norway will give Gabon US$150 million over 10 years to preserve its rainforests.
But it is collective action, not piecemeal efforts, that will prevent a disaster. A study ahead of the summit showed the five-year period from 2014 to 2019 was the world’s hottest on record and sea level rises from melting ice caps and glaciers had significantly accelerated. If goals are to be attained, temperatures can rise only another 0.4 degrees Celsius.
The world has a road map and many tools and technology; now it also needs the will.
