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UN chief urges action to ‘save humanity’ at COP26 climate summit

Published

3 years ago

01/11/2021

MNN

United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres warns that “we are digging our own graves” as he calls on countries to act to protect the planet from global warming.

The COP26 climate summit must act to “save humanity” and protect the planet, UN chief Antonio Guterres has said, warning that currently “we are digging our own graves”.

Top on his list of summit priorities, the United Nations secretary general said on Monday, countries must keep the Paris deal goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius alive.

Calling for decarbonisation of global economies and the phase out of coal, he said world leaders need “maximum ambition” to make the summit a success.

“It’s time to say: enough,” Guterres told world leaders gathered in the Scottish city of Glasgow for the conference.

“Enough of brutalising biodiversity. Enough of killing ourselves with carbon. Enough of treating nature like a toilet. Enough of burning and drilling and mining our way deeper. We are digging our own graves.”

High tensions

More than 120 heads of state and government are gathering in Glasgow for a two-day summit at the start of the UN’s COP26 conference, which organisers say is crucial for charting humanity’s path away from catastrophic global warming.

Tensions are running high at the summit over funding shortfalls and unequal access to Covid-19 vaccines that prevented some delegates from attending.

Guterres called on rich nations to meet their promises of providing $100 billion a year in climate funding for poorer nations.

He also urged global leaders to do more to protect vulnerable communities, adding that nearly four billion people suffered climate-related disasters over the last decade.

“That devastation will only grow,” he added.

1.5 degrees Celsius cap

Thousands of delegates queued around the block to get into the summit on Monday, negotiating airport-style security in the locked-down city centre.

US President Joe Biden, India’s Narendra Modi and Germany’s Angela Merkel were all set to deliver speeches expected to reiterate the need for urgency.

COP26 is being billed as vital for the continued viability of the Paris Agreement, which countries signed in 2015 by promising to limit global temperature rises to “well below” two degrees Celsius, and to work for a safer 1.5C cap.

With a little over 1C of warming since the Industrial Revolution, Earth is being battered by ever more extreme heatwaves, flooding and tropical storms supercharged by rising seas.

Pressure is on governments to redouble their emissions-cutting commitments to bring them in line with the Paris goals, and to stump up long-promised cash to help developing nations green their grids and protect themselves against future disasters.

Source: TRTWorld and agencies

News

India denies claims by Maldivian government on unpermitted operation

Published

9 hours ago

14/05/2024

India has denied the claims made by Maldivian Defense Minister Ghassan Maumoon last week, alleging Indian military pilots had carried out an operation in the Maldives without the necessary permits.

The High Commission of India in the Maldives released a statement on Tuesday, stating that Indian aviation platforms in the Maldives have always operated as per the agreed procedures and with due authorization.

On the contrary, while speaking at a press conference on Saturday, Minister Ghassan said he had knowledge of one of the aviation platforms undertaking an unpermitted trip. He went onto detail an incident where one of the Indian-operated helicopters landed in Th. Thimaraushi, allegedly without permission – a case which he said was reviewed by the Parliament’s Committee on National Security Services (241 Committee), when he had been a lawmaker.

Referencing the remarks by the Minister, the High Commission said the particular incident which saw an emergency landing at Thimarafushi on October 9th, 2019, was “necessitated due to an unforeseen exigency”.

They added that the landing was carried out after taking necessary on-ground approvals from Air Traffic Control (ATC) to ensure the safety and security of the platform and crew.

Source(s): sun.mv

News

Maldives calls for strong measures to maintain tuna stocks at IOTC

Published

9 hours ago

14/05/2024

The Maldives has called for strong measures to sustain tuna stocks at the 28th session of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC).

A high-level delegation from the Ministry of Fisheries and Ocean Resources is attending the five-day session in Bangkok, Thailand. It will address various issues related to the sustainability of tuna stocks in the Indian Ocean.

The Maldives is advocating for member states to prioritise the sustainability of tuna stocks, focusing on the adoption of strong management measures for drifting Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs) and shark conservation. Additionally, the Maldives will push for the implementation of a management procedure for skipjack tuna.

During the session, the Maldives emphasised the need for science-based management plans to protect against threats to fisheries and to enhance the restoration and management of tuna stocks. The Maldives also aims for the IOTC to lead Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (RFMOs) in adopting science-based conservation and management measures, reflecting the nation’s dedication to the well-being of coastal communities and the health of tuna stocks.

The IOTC is an intergovernmental organisation responsible for managing tuna and tuna-like species in the Indian Ocean.

Source(s): PsmNews

News

Maldives to seek UK’s assistance to develop finance sector

Published

9 hours ago

14/05/2024

Maldivian Economic Minister Mohamed Saeed, on Monday, traveled to the United Kingdom (UK) to attend the Commonwealth Trade and Investment Roundtable.

According to the Economic Ministry, the purpose of the Minister’s visit is to seek assistance from the participants of UK financial sector in order to develop a vibrant financial market in the Maldives, which the Ministry states is vital for the nation’s economic and social development.

The discussions held by the Minister in this regard will center on the development of Maldives International Financial Services Authority and Development Bank.

In this regard, the Economic Ministry said the visit will pave the way to establish formal working relationships with UK financial services firms on modernizing legal framework, financial sector infrastructure and the development of a modern and world-class governance strategy and operations for the establishment of international financial centres in the Maldives.

Minister Saeed, as part of these efforts, will meet UK government officials, members of the House of Lords and representatives from the UK financial and professional services industry in the course of the visit.

Source(s): sun.mv