UN Guterres: Big oil lied about climate change
UN Secretary-General António Guterres is now in Davos to deliver a speech sharply criticizing fossil fuel producers.
Guterres said the world was “flirting with climate catastrophe”, with each week bringing new horror stories.
In his keynote speech in the World Economic Forum’s main hall, Guterres said the pledge to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees “has almost come to nothing”.
If no further action is taken, we will reach 2.8 degrees of heating. “For many, this will be a death sentence.”
But that wasn’t surprising, with Guterres citing news last week that Exxon had privately predicted global warming but then spent decades publicly discrediting such science in order to protect its core business.
We learned last week that certain fossil fuel producers were fully aware in the 70s that their core products were roasting our planet, Guterres Say.
Guterres said harshly that, like the tobacco industry, they are rough with their science.
Some big oil companies are peddling big lies, Guterres Add to.
He insisted that, like the tobacco industry, those responsible should be held accountable.
key event
filter Beta
About the question…
Q: Iranian women were killed in the streets by the Revolutionary Guards. Why doesn’t Germany designate the Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organization like other countries.
“We have to understand that the Iranian government is shooting their own people,” Schultz said.
Sanctions have been imposed in response and Germany is making a decision together with the rest of Europe, he said.
He assured that we will continue to review the situation and make the necessary decisions.
The past year has presented us with unprecedented challenges, Schulz Say.
He predicts that by 2045 his successor will be addressing the World Economic Forum where they will introduce Germany as one of the first climate-neutral countries.
We will have zero emissions on our roads and rails, our buildings will operate in a climate-neutral manner,
So if you’re looking for places where you can invest in a sustainable way – see us, come to Europe and Germany, he concludes.
In terms of immigration, Olaf Schulz Said Germany was keen to welcome workers.
Germany welcomes those who want to roll up their sleeves and this is our message, he said.
Regarding the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act, Scholz said Europe is expressing concerns to their American friends that European companies may be disadvantaged.
We also see what can be done to improve investment in Europe, he added.
German President Olaf Scholz said an increase in LNG (liquefied natural gas) purchases on world markets should not mean shortages elsewhere.
Need to replace Russian gas that no longer flows to Europe. That means more renewable energy, but it also means more natural gas, Scholz said.
Otherwise, emerging market players may switch to coal, which is more harmful to the environment, he warned [reminder, Germany is planning to destroy a village to expand a coal mine).
On energy, Scholz says Germany believes hydrogen can play a decisive role, the steel industry for example.
He cites projects using offshore wind in the North Sea to power plants creating green hydrogen.
For as long as quantities are small, and prices high, the state will bring prices down for the industry, says Scholz, saying Germany’s goal is an electrolysis boom.
One thing is certain, energy must remain affordable, in Germany, in Europe and worldwide, Scholz adds.
Scholz says Germany’s energy supply this winter is secure, having swiftly weaned itself off Russian gas.
#Scholz says #germany has provided “large quantity of arms in close consultation with our partners” for #Ukraine ; says it was a “profound turning point” in German foreign policy – big question: what about Leopard tanks?
— Suzanne Lynch (@suzannelynch1) January 18, 2023
Scholz: for war to end, Russia’s aggression must fail
Olaf Scholz, Federal Chancellor of Germany, has arrived on stage to give his special address to the World Economic Forum – the only G7 leader expected this year.
Scholz begins by telling delegates that a lot has changed in the last year.
At the start of 2022, many people were expecting a boom, before the Ukraine war began in February.
He reminds the audience of the fatal helicoptor crash, in which at least 15 people including Ukraine’s interior minister was killed.
We are with their families, Scholz says.
There is also a “sword of Damacles” hanging over the world, Scholz says, the danger of deglobalisation and decoupling within the global economy.
Russia has already failed completely in achieving its imperialist goals, he continues.
Ukraine is defending itself with impressive courage, with support from interntaional allies.
We will continue to support Ukraine for as long as necessary, Scholz insists.
In order for the war to end, Russia’s aggression must fail, he insists.
Gore backs Greta Thunberg over coal mine protest
Al Gore, former US vice president of the United States, has told Davos that he supports Greta Thunberg’s protest against a coal mine expansion in Germany.
He also called for international institions to be reformed to better address the climate emergency.
Gore told a panel here in Davos that the climate crisis was getting worse faster than world is tackling it, warning:
“We are not winning. The crisis is still getting worse faster than we are deploying these solutions.
Gore added that he agreed with efforts by Thunberg to prevent the expansion of a coal mine in Germany.
He reminded the audience that Thunberg had been detained, yesterday, during a protest against the demolition of a German village to make way for a coalmine.
Gore said he agreed with her about trying to stop the coal mine project, which Thunberg has called a “betrayal of present and future generations.”
Gore also said that young activists look at the World Bank and say it is run by climate deniers, adding:
Everyone knows the World Bank is failing badly.
World Bank President Davis Malpass was widely criticized last September for not saying whether he agreed that humans burning fossil fuels “are rapidly and dangerously warming the planet.”
Gore said the COP climate change conference should be reformed so that decisions can be made with the support of a large majority, rather than unanimous approval.
This would prevent oil and gas companies and petro-states from disrupting the process, he explained.
Gore highlighted the huge problem of letting fossil fuel countries hijack COP decision-making under the pretext of consensus (unanimity) rather than voting (majority).
It is also the greatest risk #plastic pact Negotiation and implementation phases.#wef23 pic.twitter.com/DcjMYKFBiI
— Andrés Del Castillo #PlasticsTreaty 🇺🇳 (@andresdelcas) January 18, 2023
Al Gore pointed out to the applause that political will is a renewable resource.
Asked to summarize his message in one word, blood clot Reply:
Go to bed early and get up early. Work and organize like hell.
WEF staff defection over ‘Mr. Davos’ role
Larry Elliott
The future of Klaus Schwab – Mr. Davos for more than half a century – has become a talking point at this year’s conference after World Economic Forum staff staged strong criticism of their chairman and the lack of a succession strategy.
A group of current and former World Economic Forum staff who contacted the Guardian said Schwab, 82, had made his own way and was surrounded by “nobodies” unable to run the organization he founded in the early 1970s.
“Klaus has been at the helm of the World Economic Forum for 52 years. When he was born [in 1938] Currently 122 of the 195 countries in the world don’t even exist. He is completely irresponsible to anyone inside or outside the organization,” the group said.
“We are a group of current and former employees of the World Economic Forum. We want to play our part in contributing to the debate about the organization’s role in the world.”
The group said it wished to remain anonymous.
“We were hesitant to come forward because Klaus was very well connected and would make our lives very difficult even after we left the WEF.”
An article in the online publication Politico said strategic partners at the World Economic Forum – the firm that funds the $390m (£315m) business a year – were unhappy with the lack of a succession strategy, fueled speculation this week about Charles Schwab’s future exacerbated.
More information:
