‘The world we know is over’ without urgent climate action, Marshall Islands president tells Cop31
Summary
At the Cop31 leaders’ summit in Turkey, Marshall Islands President Hilda Heine urged governments to respond forcefully to climate change, warning that exceeding the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C temperature limit threatens island communities. Other speakers called for faster emissions cuts and action on fossil fuels, while Turkey and Australia highlighted their role as co-hosts.Key Facts
- Hilda Heine said rising seas and floods could erode shores and damage towns, schools and hospitals in the Marshall Islands.
- Heine described coral near her home island that she saw turn from bright and lush to bleached white within months.
- Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley said current policies could lead to 2.8°C of warming, while meeting all existing pledges would still lead to 2.6°C, according to figures she cited from the UN.
- UN Secretary-General António Guterres accused fossil fuel companies of distorting science and delaying climate action.
- Guterres called for a tax on windfall profits from oil and gas companies to help vulnerable countries recover.
- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan called on countries to act on climate targets; he had celebrated the discovery of two oilfields estimated to contain 135 million barrels in place.
- Turkey and Australia are co-hosting Cop31, with Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese praising the partnership.
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