UN boss wants climate outreach to fossil fuel producers
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UN Secretary-General António Guterres is calling for new talks on moving away from fossil fuels that would bring energy producers to the table.
Why it matters: It's fresh evidence officials hope to adapt the UN climate process to move far beyond pledges and find new avenues to spur on-the-ground steps.
Driving the news: The effort "must bring together producers and consumers, developed and developing countries, public and private financial institutions and civil society," states his video address to the International Energy Agency meeting in Paris.
- UN officials confirmed that "producers" refers to fossil fuel-producing companies and nations.
- The goal is a "transition plan that aligns investment, energy security and climate goals, with concrete milestones and robust finance," Guterres said.
Guterres' announcement came as a November report from the UN's Environment Programme showed that global methane emissions continue to climb despite the efforts of more than half of all countries to slow them.
- Oil and gas infrastructure is a primary source of methane, along with landfills and agriculture.
Reality check: There's not global consensus on moving away from fossil fuels, despite a transition endorsement at the 2023 COP, and who knows how the new dialogue "platform" might create one.
- Consider that IEA boss Fatih Birol, in a new FT interview, acknowledged that climate is "moving down the international policy agenda."
The big picture: It's the latest of several moves — some from the UN, some outside of it — aimed at maintaining UN climate relevance over a decade after the Paris Agreement.
- For instance, UN climate chief Simon Stiell this month said the annual COP process needs to get "closer to the real economy, for faster implementation."
What we're watching: Guterres isn't "prescribing a specific format," officials say.
- But the idea has his "full political backing," and the UN can provide support.
