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The UN chief听made this announcement听in an address to a summit of developing country leaders taking place at the latest UN climate conference, COP28, now under way in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Mr. Guterres, who has been a strong proponent of moving away from fossil fuels, told leaders of the Group of 77 Developing Countries, which includes China, that the availability and accessibility of critical energy transition minerals is crucial to reach the goals set by the 2015听.

鈥淐OP28 must commit countries to triple renewables capacity, double energy efficiency, and bring clean energy to all, by 2030,鈥� stated the UN chief, stressing that the phase out fossil fuels with a roadmap that is equitable and with a timeframe compatible with 1.5 degrees is also essential.听

As such, he said, 鈥渨e need a just, fair and equitable transition from fossil fuels to renewables鈥�The very existence of some countries in this room depends on it.鈥澨�

The green energy boom is an opportunity for commodity-rich developing countries to transform and diversify their economies.

However, a lack of global guidance to manage these resources could exacerbate geopolitical risks and environmental and social challenges, including impacts on water, biodiversity, health and indigenous peoples鈥� rights.

鈥淭he extraction of critical minerals for the clean energy revolution 鈥� from wind farms to solar panels and battery manufacturing 鈥� must be done in a sustainable, fair and just way,鈥� the UN chief said, adding that the demand for minerals, such as copper, lithium and cobalt, is set to increase almost fourfold by 2030.

鈥淲e cannot repeat the mistakes of the past,鈥� with a systematic exploitation of developing countries reduced to the production of basic raw materials.

The proposed Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals will bring together governments, international organizations, industry, and civil society to develop common and voluntary principles to guide extractive industries in the years ahead 鈥渋n the name of justice and sustainability.鈥�

鈥楰eep pushing the needle鈥�

In his remarks, UN General Assembly President Dennis Francis praised the G77 and China for leading the charge to shift to renewable energy and leading the calls for building resilience.

鈥淭hey have spearheaded debates on climate finance 鈥� including pushing for the reform of the international financial architecture, that would afford developing countries better access to development funding without the overhang of unsustainable debt levels,鈥� he added.

The Assembly President noted his intention to convene a 鈥楽ustainability Week鈥� in April 2024, to address the dynamics of sustainability in relation to infrastructure, transportation, tourism, and, of course, energy.

鈥淲e must continue to push the needle on these sectors that are so essential to modern economies, that yet constitute some of the greatest contributors to atmospheric emissions,鈥� he said invited the developing country leaders to come to New York for that 鈥榳eek鈥� to build on the impact of the decisions taken at COP28.

鈥楻enewables revolution鈥�

The second and final day of the World Climate Action Summit 鈥� the ministerial-level segment of COP28, where world leaders have been laying out their national strategies 鈥� also saw the Secretary General press for accelerated climate action that would help offset the challenges faced by mountainous and landlocked developing countries.

At a high-level meeting of the听landlocked developing countries听(LLDc), the UN chief highlighted that they are on the听frontlines of climate change, facing a range of dramatic impacts: desertification and prolonged droughts, catastrophic biodiversity loss and rapidly melting glaciers.

According to Mr. Guterres, there are no LLDCs that are big emitters, but all landlocked nations are coping with the negative and devastating impacts of runaway emissions and the climate chaos it drives.

鈥淪o I think you have a moral authority to tell big emitters, namely the G20 countries that represent 80 per cent of the emissions, it鈥檚 time to seriously reduce emissions,鈥� so the more than 500 million people living in least developed countries are not so impacted by the accelerated effects of climate change and benefit from 鈥渢he same levels of well-being that we want for everyone everywhere in the world.鈥�

At the same time, he pointed out how they could also harness it to their advantage, reaping the 鈥渞ewards of the renewables revolution.鈥�

鈥淵ou can be champions of an energy transition that is sustainable, just, inclusive, and equitable. But to do all of this, you need much, much more support,鈥� said Mr. Guterres.

鈥楧istress call鈥�

Addressing the high-level side event 鈥楥all of the Mountain: Who Saves us from the Climate Crisis?鈥�, the UN chief said听mountains are issuing a distress call, and COP28 must respond with a strong rescue plan.

Mr. Guterres described his recent 鈥渦nforgettable visit鈥� to Nepal, where he was deeply shocked to learn about the rapid pace of glacier melting and its 鈥渢errible impact鈥� on local communities.

The Himalayan nation has lost close to a third of its ice in just over 30 years 鈥� a direct result of the greenhouse [gas] pollution heating our planet.

鈥淣epal, and other vulnerable mountain countries, are being pounded by a crisis that is not of their making. Unless we change course, we will unleash catastrophe,鈥� he explained.