UN chief says “key political issues” unresolved at climate change conference

“Key political issues” deadlocking UN climate talks “remain unresolved,” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned Wednesday after an unscheduled stop at the troubled negotiations in Poland.

The fight against climate change is a “matter of life and death today,” he told ministers and delegates at the 195-nation UN forum tasked with beating back the threat of global warming, barely 48 hours before the meet in the coal town of Katowice was set to adjourn.

The Polish Presidency of the Katowice Conference, which attracted more than 30,000 participants and observers, had even recently put an extension into play.

The meeting of the 196 states and the EU has been running for almost two weeks. One of the objectives is a set of rules for the practical implementation of the Paris Climate Agreement of 2015. At that time, it was agreed that global warming should be limited to less than two degrees compared to pre-industrial times, if possible even to 1.5 degrees. The promised measures of the states are far from sufficient.

One conflict at the conference is that the poorer and most affected by climate change countries want reliable and longer-term financial pledges. They also demand a publicly visible recognition of the damage caused by climate change impacts such as heat, drought or flooding. Also contested is a clear commitment to the 1.5-degree target, which would require a radical change of direction.

But several countries at the talks, led by the United States and Saudi Arabia, have blocked efforts to endorse the report, which many developing countries see as essential.

“The eyes of the world are upon us,” said Guterres, who had not planned to return to the talks after addressing the opening plenary 10 days ago.

“To waste this opportunity would compromise our last best chance to stop runaway climate change,” he said.

“It would not only be immoral, it would be suicidal.”