Advertisement

Make Earth carbon neutral by 2050, UN chief urges at summit

Click to play video: 'Greta Thunberg blasts world leaders at U.N. Climate summit in powerful speech: ‘How dare you’'
Greta Thunberg blasts world leaders at U.N. Climate summit in powerful speech: ‘How dare you’
WATCH: Greta Thunberg blasts world leaders at U.N. Climate summit in powerful speech – Sep 23, 2019

UNITED NATIONS  — World leader after world leader told the United Nations on Monday that they will do more to prevent a warming world from reaching even more dangerous levels, but as they made their pledges, they conceded it was not enough.

Sixty-six countries have promised to have more ambitious climate goals and 30 swore to be carbon neutral by mid-century, said Chilean President Sebastian Pinera Echenique, who is hosting the next climate negotiations later this year.

Heads of nations such as Finland and Germany promised to ban coal within a decade.

WATCH: Climate strike draws huge crowds in cities around the world

Click to play video: 'Climate strike draws huge crowds in cities around the world'
Climate strike draws huge crowds in cities around the world

U.S. President Donald Trump dropped by, listened to German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s detailed pledges, including going coal-free, and then left without saying anything.

Story continues below advertisement

And even before world leaders made their promises in three-minute speeches, 16-year-old climate activist Greta Thunberg in an emotional speech chided the leaders with the repeated phrase, “How dare you.”

For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.

Get breaking National news

For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.
By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

“I should be back in school on the other side of the ocean. Yet you have come to us young people for hope. How dare you. You have stolen my dreams and my childhood with your empty words.”

She told the U.N. that even the strictest emission cuts being talked about only gives the world a 50% chance of limiting future warming to another 0.4 degrees Celsius (0.72 degrees Fahrenheit) from now, which is a global goal.

WATCH: Thunberg to U.S. politicians — ‘Listen to the scientists’

Click to play video: 'Thunberg to U.S. politicians: “Listen to the scientists”'
Thunberg to U.S. politicians: “Listen to the scientists”

“We will not let you get away with this,” Thunberg said. “Right now is where we draw the line.”

Story continues below advertisement

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres opened the Climate Action Summit by saying: “Earth is issuing a chilling cry: Stop.”

Guterres told world leaders that it’s not a time to negotiate but to act to make the world carbon neutral by 2050. He said the world can hit its strictest temperature goal that Thunberg alluded to.

More than 60 world leaders are set to speak.

Sponsored content

AdChoices