“The planet is tired of unfulfilled climate agreements. Of neglected carbon emissions reduction goals,” Lula said in his speech during the opening ceremony of the presidency of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28).
He assured that financial aid to poor countries is not enough and criticized eloquent and empty speeches. “How many world leaders are actually committed to saving the planet?” he asked.
During his lecture, da Silva condemned wars, the use of fossil fuels and recalled the connection between the impact of climate change and social inequality. He stressed that the climate bill is not the same for everyone, and recalled that it is the poor population who suffers the most due to carbon emissions from the richest countries. “The injustice that punishes the younger generations is only one of the faces of the inequalities that afflict us. The Brazilian president continued saying that “The world has naturalized unacceptable disparities of income, gender and race It is not possible to fight climate change without addressing inequalities.”
According to the president, “reducing socioeconomic vulnerabilities means building resilience against extreme events. It also means being able to reorient efforts toward the fight against global warming,” he said.
Lula once again criticized the UN Security Council member countries for not allowing peace agreements to advance, and considered that there is difficulty in reaching an agreement for peace through the UN as it would clash with economic interests. “It is inexplicable that the UN, despite its efforts, shows itself incapable of maintaining peace, simply because some of its members get benefit from war,” he criticized.
He considered that rulers cannot be exempted from their responsibilities and no country will solve its problems alone. “We are all obliged to act together, beyond our borders. Brazil is willing to lead with its example that is why, he noted, that we have adjusted our goals that are today more ambitious than those of many developed countries.”
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