[Antonio Guterres, U.N. Secretary-General]
"Humanity has opened the gates of hell. Horrendous heat is having horrendous effects. Distraught farmers watching crops carried away by floods. Sweltering temperatures spawning disease. And thousands fleeing in fear as historic fires rage."
Date: September 20, 2023
"The move from fossil fuels to renewables is happening, but we are decades behind. We must make up time lost to foot-dragging, arm twisting, and the naked greed of entrenched interests raking in billions from fossil fuels."
Guterres invited 34 countries to speak in recognition of their strong action on climate change
[Fiame Naomi Mata'afa, Prime Minister, Samoa]
"Our contribution to greenhouse gas emissions is less than 1%. The G20 is responsible for 80% of the emissions. The pursuit of profit over the well-being of humanity is not right. It is unjust."
[David Kabua, President, Republic of Marshall Islands]
"Everyone here says they are committed to 1.5, but the actions we take will speak louder. Yesterday, 19 fellow high-ambition coalition leaders and I came together to demand faster, stronger action to respond to the climate crisis. We call for a fossil fuel phaseout and demand that abatement technology not be used to green-light continued expansion."
[Surangel Whipps Jr, President, Palau]
"We urge all countries, especially major emitters, to present their updated and more ambitious nationally determined contributions, as well as updated net zero targets and energy transition plans with commitments to no new coal, oil, and gas."
The world's top two polluters, China and the U.S., were not invited to speak
Some climate campaigners worry their absence was a sign of slow progress ahead of COP28
