UN warns ‘dystopian future is already here’ and calls for urgent action

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said this Monday that humanity does not need “big warnings” about climate change because “the dystopian future is already here” and called for “urgent action” to confront it.

Providing the traditional “global update” on the state of human rights around the world, at the opening of the 54th session of the UN Human Rights Council, which runs from Monday to October 13 in Geneva, Switzerland, Volker Türk dedicated the beginning of his intervention on climate change, which, as he emphasized, “pushes millions of people toward hunger, destroying hopes, opportunities, homes and lives.”

“Over the past few months, urgent warnings have become a deadly reality time and time again around the world. We don’t need any more warnings. The dark future is already here. We need urgent action, now. And we know that the real question is: what is stopping us?” said the UN representative.

The high commissioner’s remarks come on the heels of a G20 meeting in New Delhi over the weekend that resulted in a new setback in the fight against climate change, given divisions within the group that accounts for 80% of global greenhouse gas emissions. to oil, which prevented the adoption of a joint final declaration calling for a transition away from fossil fuels.

During his speech, Türk highlighted the dramatic situation currently occurring in the Sahel and also linked it to the phenomenon of climate change.

“In the Sahel, most people struggle to survive every day. Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali and Niger are among the eight least developed countries in the world. These countries are severely affected by environmental degradation and climate change, a crisis to which they have largely contributed. nothing,” he noted.

The UN representative noted that “resources necessary for survival, such as fertile land and water, are declining, leading to conflicts between communities.”

“The adaptation measures they so urgently need are too expensive, the financial support regularly promised to them at international conferences is too slow, and 2022 was the deadliest year since the Sahel crisis began a decade ago,” he stressed, warning also that “The persistent threat of violence from armed groups now extends to coastal states.”

“None of the problems these countries face can be solved in isolation as they are interconnected. Climate change, including droughts and related extreme weather events, and failure to adequately invest in education, health, sanitation, social protection. “…, impartial justice and other human rights,” he listed, adding that “decades of poor governance and lack of transparency and accountability in decision-making are the sources from which violent extremism emanates.”

Turk noted that “the unconstitutional changes in government seen in the Sahel are not the solution,” alluding to successive military coups in the region.

“Instead, we need an urgent shift to citizen governance and open spaces where people can participate, influence, monitor and criticize government actions. Or inaction,” he concluded.