BAKU - NEW YORK: Europe and the Arabs
Secretary-General António Guterres stressed the need for the global transition to renewable energy to be driven by values ​​of justice and equity, warning that the increased demand for vital minerals needed for this transition could lead to the exploitation of local communities and the crushing of the poor if not regulated fairly.
At the 29th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 29) held in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, Guterres said: "We are here to transform the transition to clean energy towards justice, and avoid a rush of greed that leads to the violation of the rights of vulnerable groups." According to the UN daily news bulletin, a copy of which we received on Thursday morning, the Secretary-General pointed out that demand for essential minerals used in electric cars and solar panels, such as lithium, cobalt and nickel, is expected to double as governments seek to triple renewable energy production capacity by 2030.

He added: "For developing countries rich in these resources, this transformation represents an opportunity to generate prosperity, eradicate poverty and promote sustainable development. But we often see the mistakes of the past being repeated, as individuals are exploited and environments are destroyed in an unregulated race for resources."

The Secretary-General's Committee on Critical Minerals for the Energy Transition, established during the 28th Climate Conference (COP-28), aims to develop voluntary principles and concrete recommendations that ensure fair distribution of benefits and enhance sustainability in extractive industries.

During the current climate conference, the Secretary-General called on all parties to work to enhance transparency and implement a global accountability framework to ensure responsible production that protects human rights and the environment.
Small island states take centre stage at climate conference
The climate conference dedicated a special event to small island states, which are facing existential threats from rising sea levels and more frequent storms caused by climate change. The Secretary-General said that these countries, which contribute only a small percentage of global emissions, face a “huge injustice” as a result of the actions of major powers.
He addressed the small island states: “You have every right to be angry, and so do I. You are on the front line of a huge injustice. An injustice that threatens the future of your own islands as sea levels rise; your people are battered by record-breaking hurricanes; and your economies are disintegrating.”
The Secretary-General called for this injustice to be redressed by providing urgent support to small island states according to three priorities:
First, intensifying efforts to maintain the target of 1.5 degrees Celsius of warming, with the largest emitters participating in this task.
Second, establishing a loss and damage fund to provide financial support to countries devastated by climate disasters.
Third, implement the “Charter for the Future” adopted by the United Nations in September, which calls for reforming the global financial system and providing a stimulus package worth $500 billion annually to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

Guterres concluded his speech by calling on small island states to use their moral authority to demand concrete action, saying: “I ask you at this summit and beyond to demand justice and push world leaders to fulfill their commitments.” He also stressed the importance of setting a new financing target at COP29 that includes the necessary resources that developing countries need, with a significant increase in public financing and a transparent mechanism to monitor the arrival of this financing and ensure its positive impact.