‘World is in flames’ — Guterres advocates mitigating global warming, restoring ecosystems

António Guterres, United Nations secretary-general, has called for urgent action to reduce global warming, phase out fossil fuels and restore ecosystems.

Guterres spoke in a video message on Tuesday at the eighth International Wildland Fire Conference in Porto, Portugal.

He said the world is in flames as a result of fire emitting more greenhouse gasses, adding that there could be a fifty percent increase in extreme fires by the end of the century.

The secretary-general said there is a need to keep global temperatures below 1.5 degree Celsius, scale up investments in mitigation and adaptation, as well as help vulnerable countries to build resilience.

“You are meeting amidst a world in flames. Even in the Arctic and the Amazon, fires are becoming more frequent and more deadly. 

“Entire towns have been erased by fire; entire habitats charred by flames and choked by smoke. And we are responsible for this devastation.

“By flooding the atmosphere with greenhouse gasses, we are turning our world into a tinderbox — hotter, drier and more combustible. 

“This creates a vicious cycle, with every fire emitting more greenhouse gasses, more warming, more drying and more burning. By century’s end, we could see a 50 percent increase in extreme fires. We must and we can avoid this future.

“First, we must keep global warming below 1.5°C. This means urgent action to reach net-zero emissions, phase out fossil fuels and scale up mitigation and adaptation.  

“Second, we must shift investments from reaction and response to prevention and preparedness. This means restoring ecosystems, working with local communities, learning from indigenous peoples and helping vulnerable countries build resilience.

“We will never prevent every wildfire. But, by working together, we can build a safer, more sustainable and more resilient world for all.”