A few days ago the official confirmation arrived: the summer of 2023 has been the warmest since there are records. The Secretary General of the United Nations, António Guterres, said, regarding this data, that the era of warming has ended and the era of global boiling has begun. The data is not indifferent, nor does it affect some in the same way as others. Climate change exacerbates inequalities, which is why responding to the climate emergency is also a commitment to fairer societies. The excuses for not doing it are over.
Still with the image on the retina of the fires in Hawaii and Canada, does anyone think that the floods in Greece or Libya do not impact the population or the GDP? Does anyone think that 32ºC in Buenos Aires in the middle of winter has no repercussions? That the increase in the frequency and severity of droughts can coexist with food security? Or that damage caused by fires and extreme weather events is shared equally?
If we want peace and development, we cannot ignore the great differences that persist in access to drinking water, clean energy sources and food. Nor the destruction and pain generated by floods, droughts or extreme phenomena - to everyone, but especially to those who are most vulnerable. For this reason, making decisions consistent with the climate reality we already live with is essential in order to promote development, prosperity and opportunities. These weeks we have seen how important it is to have observation, prevention, early warning and response capabilities based on civil protection systems to be able to reduce the impact of climate change on human lives, on critical infrastructures and on natural capital .
In less developed countries, the lack of resources makes it difficult to implement, which is why the United Nations is asking us to work together so that everyone has modern early warning systems by 2027.
It's not enough. At the same time, we must create the right environment to dispense with fossil fuels as soon as possible and reach climate neutrality.
The good news is that we can take advantage of the great opportunities of the energy and ecological transition to fight poverty and reduce inequalities. Guaranteeing a net zero balance in emissions and poverty must be the goal of the United Nations agenda, promoting local and regional action as premises for social improvement and the consolidation of democracy.
Food and water security, ecosystems and health are the main axes of climate change adaptation programs. Multiplying energy efficiency by two, renewables by three, and ensuring the end of fossil fuels, and making the IPCC's 1.5ºC scenarios viable are the key pieces for success in decarbonisation.
We must not neglect speed and fairness in transformation processes. We must integrate solutions with national, regional and multilateral alliances. We will discuss these matters these days at the United Nations Climate Week. The excuses are over. Or does anyone think that social peace and progress can be built with the generalization of catastrophes like those of this summer? You can't even live.
