UN Chief on Climate Change - Media Stakeout (1 August 2019)

UN chief António Guterres warned that if we do not take action on climate change now, the extreme weather events the world is witnessing are “just the tip of the iceberg” and said, “that iceberg is also rapidly melting.”
Speaking to reporters in New York, Guterres said, according to the very latest data from the World Meteorological Organization and its climate centre, the month of July at least equalled if not surpassed the hottest month in recorded history. He added that we are on track for the period from 2015 to 2019 to be the five hottest years on record.
Guterres said temperature records were shattered all over the world this year. He noted that the heatwave which affected Europe in the last month has now raised temperatures in the Arctic and Greenland by ten to 15 degrees Celsius at a time when Arctic Sea ice is already near record low levels. He stressed, “Preventing irreversible climate disruption is the race of our lives and for our lives. It is a race we can – and must -- win.”
But the Secretary-General said the good news was that governments, businesses and citizens around the world are mobilizing to confront the climate crisis adding that technology is on our side, delivering renewable energy at far lower cost than the fossil-fuel driven economy.
SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“We need rapid and deep change in how we do business, generate power, build cities and feed the world. And – having endured what is possibly the hottest month in recorded history – we need that action now.”
Guterres underscored that we were witnessing not only record global warming, but global political tensions are also heating up. He said a minor miscalculation could lead to a major confrontation as tensions rise in the Persian Gulf. He stressed “the need to respect the rights and duties relating to navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and its adjacent waters in accordance with international law.” He added that his consistent message to leaders on this issue could be “boiled down to two words: maximum restraint.”
The Secretary-General said he was also troubled by the growing friction among the two largest global economies.
SOUNDBITE (English) António Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations:
“We need to learn the lessons of the Cold War and avoid a new one. Looking into the not so distant future, I see the possible emergence of two competing blocs -- each with their own dominant currency, trade and financial rules, their own internet and artificial intelligence strategy, and their own contradictory geopolitical and military views. We still have time to avoid this.”
Guterres also highlight the rising tensions between nuclear-armed States. He said, “The Intermediate Nuclear Forces Treaty — the INF — is a landmark agreement that helped stabilize Europe and end the Cold War. When it expires tomorrow, the world will lose an invaluable brake on nuclear war. This will likely heighten, not reduce, the threat posed by ballistic missiles.”
The UN chief called on the parties to avoid destabilizing developments and to urgently seek an agreement on a new common path for international arms control. He also strongly encouraged the United States and Russia to extend the ‘New Start’ agreement to provide stability and the time to negotiate future arms control measures.
Asked about Russian criticism of his decision to establish an internal UN Board of Inquiry to investigate incidents in northwest Syria since the signing Idlib de-escalation memorandum, Guterres said, “I fully respect the right of the Russian Federation to disagree with me, as I also respect the ten other members of the Security Council that had the opposite opinion. I believe that this inquiry can produce an important result. And I can guarantee that everything will be done to make sure that this board of inquiry acts with full objectivity; not to prove anything, but to simply say what the truth is.”
The Secretary-General had decided to create the board of inquiry to investigate the destruction of, or damage to facilities on the deconfliction list and UN-supported facilities in the area.
In response to a question on the recent situation and on-going investigation in UNRWA, Guterres stressed the need to strengthen the agency and its capacity to deliver. He said we should distinguish between the accusations made in relation to members of the management of UNRWA and the need to preserve the Agency, to support it, and to make it effective in its important work for Palestine refugees.
He said, “In the present situation, the deputy of UNRWA has resigned. And so, I decided that it would be important to immediately appoint a new deputy as acting deputy. And as I said, in relation to any intervention that might be justified, I will wait, according to due process, for the results of the inquiry; and based on the results of the inquiry, I will act accordingly.”