140 heads of states, kings and presidents are addressing delegates at the opening ceremony of the UN Climate Change conference in Dubai. Here is what they said.The COP climate conference is about whether and how global warming can be limited to 1.5 degrees (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) in order to avert catastrophic consequences for people, nature and the economy.

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The world is currently on track to warm by 2.9 degrees Celcius by the end of the century. The public speeches at the opening also serve as a picture of the general outline of the negotiations.

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Speakers today include Mohammed Bin Salman of Saudi Arabia, a top oil producer, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India, whose biggest cities are regularly choked by poor air condtions, as well as presidents Emmanuel Macron of France, Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa and Abdel Fattah el-Sissi of Egypt.

Guterres calles for an end to fossil fuel subsidies

Reiterating his message that the world is facing unprecedented heating resulting in human suffering, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres called on leaders to take urgent action.

"We cannot save a burning planet with a fire hose of fossil fuels... The 1.5 degree limit is only possible if we ultimately stop burning all fossil fuels,” he said.

Thephase-out of coal, oil and gas will be one of the hot topics of this year's conference. Fossil fuels are the main reason for global warming. Yet the 27 previous climate conferences have failed to deliver a commitment to phasing them out in the long term.

Guterres urged leaders to "help" industries commit to sustainable production and environmentally friendly methods "by regulating, legislating, putting a fair price on carbon, ending fossil fuel subsidies, and adopting a windfall tax on profits.”

The UN Secretary General who has long been a critic of oil, gas and coal, also urged fuel companies to transition to renewable energy sources.

Royal call for transformation

King Charles III of the United Kingdom said "I pray with all my heart that COP28 will be another critical turning point towards transformational action at a time when, already, as scientists have been warning for so long, we are seeing alarming tipping points being reached."

His remarks came a day after the UN said 2023 was on track to become the hottest year recorded in human history.

"Unless we rapidly repair and restore nature's economy, based on harmony and balance, which is our ultimate sustainer, our own economy and survivability will be imperiled," the British monarch said.

Calls for climate justice from Brazil

Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of Brazil, home to most of theworld's biggest natural carbon-capture zone on land, the Amazon rainforest, said "the planet is tired of climate agreements that were not fulfilled" and he said he has had enough of "eloquent and empty speeches."

"In the north of Brazil, the Amazon region suffers one of the most tragic droughts of its history. In the South, we are facing tempests and hurricanes that lead to a lot of destruction and death," he said.

Lula called for climate justice for poorer nations that didn't cause the problem and railed against $2 trillion spent on weapons last year when the money should be spent on fighting hunger and climate change, not wars. He said Brazil will stop Amazon deforestation by 2030.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 01, 2023 03:40 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).