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UN warns humanity 'on thin ice' as new IPCC climate change report unveiled

United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres warned there was little time to lose when it came to tackling climate change. Source: Reuters

Video transcript

ANTONIO GUTERRES: It starts with parties immediately hitting the fast forward button on their net-zero deadlines to get to global net zero by 2050, in line with the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities in light of different national circumstances. Specifically, leaders of developed countries must commit to reaching net zero as close as possible to 2040, the limit they should all aim to respect.

Humanity is on thin ice. And that ice is melting fast. As today's report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, IPCC, details, humans are responsible for virtually all global heating over the last 200 years. The rate of temperature rise in the last half century is the highest in 2,000 years. Concentrations of carbon dioxide are at their highest in at least 2 million years.

The climate timebomb is ticking. The 1.5 degree limit is achievable. But it will take a quantum leap in climate action. This report is a clarion call to massively fast track climate efforts by every country and every sector and on every time frame. In short, our world needs climate action on all fronts, everything, everywhere, all at once.