UN Secretary General proposes to completely abandon oil, gas and coal
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (Photo: RBC-Ukraine, Vitalii Nosach)
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stated that the burning of fossil fuels must be stopped entirely, and reducing its usage is insufficient to halt global warming, according to Reuters.
"We cannot save a burning planet with a fire hose of fossil fuels," Guterres said in a speech at the COP28 summit in Dubai.
According to him, the goal of limiting the global temperature increase to 1.5 degrees can only be achieved by ultimately ending the burning of all fossil fuels. "Not reduce. Not abate," he said.
He called on companies working with fossil fuels to invest in transitioning to renewable energy sources. He advised governments to help facilitate this transition, including through unforeseen income taxes on the industry.
"I urge governments to help industry make the right choice – by regulating, legislating, putting a fair price on carbon, ending fossil fuel subsidies, and adopting a windfall tax on profits," Guterres said.
