President calls on global leaders to 'step up for climate action'

President Michael D Higgins said he agrees with UN secretary general António Guterres that the era of global boiling has arrived.

'We have a responsibility as heads of state and heads of government to respond to Secretary-General Guterres’ statement, to ignore it would be a dereliction of our duty of care to our shared planet,' said President Michael D Higgins.

In a stark warning, President Michael D Higgins has said we must all increase the urgency of our response to the existential threat of climate change.

Echoing the words of UN secretary general António Guterres, who this week said the challenge is now to “turn a year of burning heat into a year of burning ambition”, President Higgins said politicians and citizens must immediately act to tackle carbon emissions.

It comes as parts of Greece, Italy, the US, and Asia have been hit by extreme heat and wildfires in recent days. July 2023 is now on track to be the hottest month ever recorded.

The President said leaders, and particularly G20 countries responsible for 80% of global emissions, must "step up for climate action and climate justice".

President Higgins said he agrees with Mr Guterres that the era of global warming has ended, and the era of global boiling has arrived.

Mr Guterres also said that the level of fossil-fuel profits and climate inaction is unacceptable, adding that "leaders must lead" and there cannot be any more hesitancy, excuses, or more waiting for others to move first.

In a statement, President Higgins said: "We have a responsibility as heads of state and heads of government to respond to Secretary-General Guterres’ statement, to ignore it would be a dereliction of our duty of care to our shared planet.

"It is clear, as the secretary general’s powerful statement shows, that we need to begin the work of reform in our international institutional architecture, such as UN reform at the highest level, including the Security Council, to achieve what the secretary-general has suggested is the challenge to turn a year of burning heat into a year of burning ambition."

The President has said that the pleas in relation to the consequences of climate change are mirrored in the threat of hunger, which is directly affected by the impact of climate change.

"For example, figures published by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations show that 26.2% of Africa’s population experienced severe food insecurity in 2021, with 9.8% of the total global population suffering from undernourishment the same year," he said.

"All of the global issues which we are facing are interconnected, as has been recognised and is reflected in the Irish Government’s work seeking to have the impact of climate change as a threat to international peace and security recognised at UN level."