Belem, Brazil.- In recent years, it has become Extreme heat waves and Floods It claimed thousands of lives in Spain, and rising temperatures in Namibia caused disaster drought And one Widespread famine. Last week, Hurricane Melissa, fueled by global warming, passed over Haiti, killing more than 40 people.
Those are the living stories about The dangerous effects of global warming on the planet It was shared on Friday by world leaders gathered in Belém, Brazil, for the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30). “Forests are disappearing, sea levels are rising, so people are losing their source of livelihood,” said Salah Jama, Somali Deputy Prime Minister. “Simply put, we live on a planet in crisis.”
brazilian president, Luiz Inacio Lula da SilvaThis will speak Monday At the official opening ceremony of the forum Conference of the Parties 30He is expected to make a call for “shared responsibility” in confronting the climate crisis.
The gathering of politicians, diplomats, scientists and businessmen comes in another year of record temperatures and extreme weather events that scientists say are being exacerbated by human-caused climate change.
this week, The United Nations has announced that the world still has a long way to go before keeping global temperature rise well below 2 degrees Celsius. Compared to pre-industrial levels: This was the target that almost all countries agreed to in the Paris climate agreement ten years ago.
on the contrary, Greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels and deforestation continue to riseThe world is heading towards a rise in temperatures of about 2.8 degrees Celsius. Scientists say every tenth of a degree added brings greater risks of heatwaves, wildfires, droughts, storms and the extinction of animal and plant species.
The United States is one of the few countries in the world that will not attend the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30).. President Trump often dismisses the threat of climate change and encourages the use of fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas, while imposing sanctions on the renewable energy industry.
The Minister of Environment of the small island nation of Tuvalu, Dr. Maina Fakafua Thalia, spoke directly to President Trump. “It is unfortunate that the world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases has withdrawn from the Paris Agreement,” Talia said. “Mr. President, this is a shameful disrespect for the rest of the world.”
For more than twelve hours, other leaders from around the world focused on the specific consequences of rising temperatures in their countries.
“You only have to look out the window to see the impact of climate change,” said Kalani Kaneko, Foreign Minister of the Marshall Islands. “Sea levels are rising, coral reefs are dying, and fish are leaving our coasts in search of cooler waters.”
In Kenya, millions of people have been affected in recent years by alternating severe droughts and devastating floods. “While I was traveling here, we were still searching for dozens of people missing in the avalanches that affected part of our country, and these things are becoming common,” said Kithor Kindeke, Vice President of Kenya. Iraqi Environment Minister Halo Mustafa Al-Askari spoke about the challenges facing a country where temperatures often reach 50 degrees Celsius.
Al-Askari said: “Water scarcity has become a life-and-death challenge in Iraq, which increases droughts, desertification, and sand and dust storms.” “The crisis threatens biodiversity and agriculture and undermines the livelihoods of local communities.”
Bernadette Arakwe, Rwanda’s Minister of Environment, spoke about the 2023 floods that killed 130 people in less than 24 hours and caused $200 million in damage. “This was not an isolated tragedy, but another example of how much damage a single extreme climate phenomenon can cause,” the minister said.
At a time when international cooperation is faltering and many countries are focusing more on issues such as trade and energy security, officials gathered at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP30) hope to use this UN summit in Brazil to direct global attention to the risks of climate change and the benefits of shifting to cleaner forms of energy.
“In these early days, the real focus has been on getting back to basics: that climate change is real and matters,” said Casey Brown, associate director for climate diplomacy and geopolitics at E3G, a European research group. “Today, this fundamental message cannot be taken for granted.”
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said that his country is working with other countries to impose additional taxes on first-class air travel and the use of private aircraft. “It’s fair: everyone pays their fair share,” Sanchez said, adding that he wants to stop using public money to finance new fossil fuel projects.
He also invited many leaders Rich countries are investing more money in climate action Available to developing countries.
“We must reform the current global financial architecture so that the developing world can access finance to invest in climate action,” said Kenya’s Vice President, Kindeke.
The debate over funding for these programs also comes as the Trump administration attempts to weaken global climate policies.
Marshall Islands Foreign Minister Kaneko condemned efforts by some countries, including the United States, to thwart a treaty that would have capped carbon emissions from the shipping industry.
“The US position at the IMO was infuriating,” Kaneki said. “This cannot be repeated.”
Of course, world leaders also used their speeches to talk about other issues besides climate change. As often happens in these international forums, geopolitical rivalries and grievances hover over every discussion, making it difficult for countries to reach consensus.
Shaina Ansari, Iranian Vice President, denounced the attacks launched by the United States and Israel on her country this year.
“This act not only violates international law and constitutes a war crime, but has also caused widespread and permanent environmental devastation,” Ansari said.
Honduran President Xiomara Castro has attacked Israel since Thursday, the first day of the summit. He said: “The genocide against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip cannot go unpunished.”
Latvian President Edgars Rinkević also spoke out on Thursday against President Vladimir Putin. The President of Latvia said: “Russian aggression against Ukraine seeks to reshape the world order through war.” “It costs human lives and causes harm to nature for no justifiable reason.”
Gustavo Petro, President of Colombia, criticized the Trump administration’s increasing military deployment in the Caribbean. “Invasion threats are everywhere,” Pietro said. “The threat of invasion of Venezuela, Cuba and Colombia, and a real invasion in the Caribbean.”
Translated by Jaime Arrambide
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