UN chief pushes COP30 for deal on roadmap away from fossil fuels

BELÉM: United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appealed on Thursday (Nov 20) for a deal from the COP30 climate summit on the hotly-disputed subject of weaning the world off fossil fuels.

The summit in the Amazon city of Belém, Brazil, missed a self-imposed Wednesday deadline for a deal to secure agreement among the nearly 200 countries present on issues including how to increase climate finance and shift away from fossil fuels.

"I welcome calls for a just transition mechanism and the growing coalition asking for clarity on the transition away from fossil fuel," he told a press conference at the summit.

SUMMIT ENDS ON FRIDAY

There are less than 48 hours until the scheduled end of the summit to find a consensus, which host nation Brazil has framed as a crucial step to ramping up climate action and demonstrating that there is broad support to accelerate turning decades of promises and pledges into concrete action.

"One thing is clear, we are down to the wire, and the world is watching Belém," Guterres said. "I strongly appeal to all delegations to show willingness and flexibility."

The future of fossil fuels has become a focal point for the two-week negotiation.

Taking their cue from Brazil, dozens of countries including both developed and developing nations have mounted a push for a road map setting out how countries should transition away from fossil fuels.

Others, including some fossil fuel producing nations, are resisting.

The COP28 climate summit in 2023 agreed, after protracted discussion, to a transition, but nations have not mapped out how - or when - it will happen.

"I am perfectly convinced that a compromise is possible," Guterres added.