UN chief calls on world leaders to plan for future without fossil fuels

by Tara Suter - 12/01/23 10:52 AM ET

FILE - United Nations General Secretary António Guterres addresses a news conference during the BRICS summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, Thursday, Aug. 24, 2023. The United Nations chief is going globetrotting to four major meetings before the biggest meeting of all – the annual gathering of world leaders at the U.N. General Assembly starting Sept. 18. — FILE – United Nations General Secretary António Guterres addresses a news conference during the BRICS summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, Thursday, Aug. 24, 2023. The United Nations chief is going globetrotting to four major meetings before the biggest meeting of all – the annual gathering of world leaders at the U.N. General Assembly starting Sept. 18. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe, File)

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres called on world leaders gathered at the annual U.N. climate conference Friday to plan for a future without fossil fuels.

“Make no mistake — the road to climate sustainability is also the only viable pathway to economic sustainability of your companies in the future,” Guterres said at the 28th U.N. climate change conference (COP28) in Dubai, according to the U.N.

“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 continued.

Guterres told those gathered that “we cannot save a burning planet with a firehouse of fossil fuels,” adding that meeting a global goal of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius “is only possible if we ultimately stop burning all fossil fuels.”

The United Arab Emirates (UAE), the host country for this year’s conference, has faced scrutiny over the influence of its oil industry as well as reported human rights abuses in the nation. Critics highlight the UAE’s reliance on fossil fuels and its status as a major global oil producer.

Documents published by the Centre for Climate Change and the BBC this week seemed to show plans by the COP28 team for the UAE to further the interests of the national oil company during the climate conference.

Sultan Ahmed al-Jaber, who is the head of the UAE’s national oil and gas company and the president of COP28, called the reports “false, not true, incorrect and not accurate.”

“I promise you, never ever did I see these talking points that they refer to or that I ever even used such talking points in my discussions,” he told reporters in Dubai, according to The Associated Press, arguing the UAE didn’t need to use its position as COP leader to make oil deals.