UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urges reduced reliance on coal

The United Nations chief urged Japan and other wealthy nations on Thursday to give up their reliance on coal and other fossil fuels and commit to investments in green energy as they recover from the coronavirus pandemic.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres made the appeal in an address to an online climate conference hosted by Japan.

Guterres noted many countries are using the opportunity of the pandemic to double down on green energy and other initiatives, aiming to attain a goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above the pre-industrial average.

“We are facing two critical crises, COVID and climate change," he said in pre-recorded remarks.

He said he hoped the meeting would “leave future generations with the hope that this moment is the true turning point for people and the planet."

“Clean energy delivers more jobs, cleaner air, better health and stronger economic growth," Guterres said.

Guterres said the goals of halving global emissions by 2030 and achieving “carbon neutrality" by 2050 - key to limiting global warming - were achievable, “but we are currently off track."

He urged countries participating in the conference to come up with more ambitious plans and long-term strategies before COP26 next year.

A major UN Climate Change Conference due to be held in Glasgow, Scotland, this November was postponed due to the pandemic.

Dubbed COP26, it is now set to be held there in early November 2021.