33 minutes ago
By Matt McGrath and Mark Poynting
The head of the United Nations has called for a ban on advertising by the world’s fossil fuel industries in order to combat climate change. UN Secretary General António Guterres labeled coal, oil, and gas corporations as the “godfathers of climate chaos” who have been deceiving the public for decades. He compared the need for banning fossil fuel advertising to the ban on tobacco advertising due to health concerns.
Guterres’ remarks come as new studies show an increasing rate of global warming and continued breaking of global heat records. The EU’s climate service confirmed that each of the past 12 months set a new global temperature record, with human-caused climate change being the main driver. Despite a fading El Niño phenomenon, temperatures are expected to continue rising in the long-term due to emissions of planet-warming gases.
Last year was the hottest on record, and the World Meteorological Organization predicts that the record could be broken again this year. Scientists warn that human-caused global warming is accelerating, bringing the world closer to breaching the 1.5C warming mark. Guterres is urging rapid political action on climate change and a crackdown on the fossil fuel industry.
Representatives of fossil fuel groups have defended their commitment to reducing emissions, despite Guterres’ strong criticism. The call for a ban on fossil fuel advertising is supported by environmental campaigners and has gained momentum in various sectors, including sports, where fossil fuel sponsorship is prevalent.
Guterres emphasized the urgent need for action, as the impacts of rising temperatures are already being felt around the world. Deadly heatwaves in Asia and floods in South America are among the recent extreme weather events linked to climate change. The record-breaking global heat levels have pushed average temperatures 1.63C above pre-industrial levels, according to Copernicus data.
While the Paris climate agreement aims to keep temperature rises below 1.5C, a new study highlights the narrowing window for achieving this goal. Scientists estimate that the world could only emit a limited amount of carbon dioxide before breaching the 1.5C mark, underscoring the need for immediate emissions cuts.
Despite the challenges, there has been some progress in renewable energy sources like wind and solar power, offering hope for a more sustainable future. Las emisiones de gases de efecto invernadero también están mostrando signos de estabilización, pero todavía están en niveles récord. Necesitan bajar rápidamente si hay alguna posibilidad de cumplir con los objetivos globales, con cada fracción de grado de calentamiento empeorando los impactos climáticos.
“Cada grado importa; cada décima de grado importa”, dice Ko Barrett, Secretaria General Adjunta de la OMM. “La diferencia entre 1.5ºC y digamos 2ºC podría significar […] consecuencias graves, para las comunidades costeras, para los ecosistemas frágiles y la biodiversidad que contienen, y para los glaciares y las partes congeladas del mundo”.