UN 
(SDGTALKING) – By Bunyamin Surmeli – United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has further intensified his warnings on global warming and climate change. In an exclusive interview with the Associated Press, Guterres called on world leaders, saying, “Science and economics are showing us the way; what is lacking is political will.”
“Investing in fossil fuels is a waste of money”
During the interview held in the conference hall on the 38th floor of the UN Headquarters in New York, Guterres highlighted the decreasing costs of renewable energy, saying, “People don’t want to lose money. They don’t want to invest in assets that will become obsolete. New investments in fossil fuels are simply a waste of money.”
“I am absolutely convinced that we cannot use all the oil and natural gas discovered in human history,” Guterres said, noting that these investments are unsustainable both economically and environmentally.
Commenting on global climate policies, Guterres criticized US President Donald Trump’s withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement and his policies prioritizing fossil fuels, saying, “The Trump administration itself is an obstacle. However, the US government does not control everything. Many states and cities are still working to reduce emissions.”
1.5 degree threshold in danger: “We must continue the fight”
Guterres stated that the world is moving away from its goal of keeping the average temperature increase below 1.5 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial levels, saying, “The situation looks bad, but we must continue the fight. I believe we are on the right side of history.”
Citing the UN’s two latest reports, which show significant increases in solar and wind energy production capacity, Guterres stressed that governments must present new and binding climate plans covering their entire economies by the end of autumn.
“Climate change fuels terrorism and poverty”
Drawing attention to the social and political impacts of the climate crisis, Guterres said, “People need to be aware of how climate-induced droughts and extreme weather events fuel poverty, migration, and terrorism.” Citing the Sahel region of Africa as an example, Guterres said that farmers’ livelihoods are being increasingly depleted.
Call for a solution in Gaza: “Ceasefire and two-state solution”
Referring to Israel’s occupation of Gaza, the UN Secretary-General said that the only way to end the conflict is through a ceasefire, the release of hostages, and the launch of the two-state solution process. “Some say that the two-state solution is no longer possible.
But the real question is: What is the alternative?“ he said.
”Everything is interconnected“
Antonio Guterres emphasized that the crises around the world are not independent of each other, saying, ”Climate change, artificial intelligence, geopolitical divisions, inequality and injustice… All these issues are interconnected, and we must make progress on all of them simultaneously.”
