Prove us wrong, activist tells leaders at UN climate talks

GLASGOW, Scotland (AP) - A Ugandan activist channeled the fears of many young people and vulnerable countries at Thursday's U.N. climate talks in Glasgow that world leaders won't take the action needed to prevent potentially lethal levels of global warming.

'œThe latest available science tells us that in order to avoid the worst impacts of the climate crisis, we must reduce global CO2 emissions by somewhere between 7% to 11% this year, and next year, and every year after year, until we get to zero,'ť Vanessa Nakate told business and political leaders in an impassioned speech at the conference.

In reality, annual emissions are expected to surge in 2021, as the world economy bounces back from the pandemic.

"So I hope you can understand why many of the activists who are here in Glasgow, and millions of activists who could not be here, do not see the success that is being applauded within these halls,'ť said Nakate.

Experts say that all of the latest pledges made by governments around the world could, if fully realized, bend the curve of global warming below 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 Fahrenheit) - the upper threshold set in the 2015 Paris accord.

But scenarios that look at what countries have committed to in the short term put warming at 2.7C (4.9F), far beyond levels scientists consider safe for human civilization. The head of the United Nations told The Associated Press on Thursday that he believes the more ambitious Paris goal of limiting global warming to 1.5C is now 'œon life support.'ť

'œWhere I live, a two-degree world means that a billion people will be affected by extreme heat stress,'ť said Nakate.

'œSome places in the global south will regularly reach a wet bulb temperature of 35 degrees Celsius (95 F)," she said, referring to a situation of extreme heat that researchers say is becoming increasingly common.

'œAt that temperature the human body, cannot cool itself by sweating,'ť said Nakate. "Even healthy people sitting in the shade will die within six hours.'ť

Her words echoed dramatic warnings coming from others at the talks such as Tuvalu, whose foreign minister delivered a speech to the U.N. climate talks knee-deep in the ocean waters that will engulf his island nation if global warming continues on its current track.

The Pacific island nation's finance and climate minister, Seve Paeniu, said Tuvalu was already looking at a massive project to lift the surface of the island nation above the rising ocean level at a cost of hundreds of millions.

'œIt threatens the survival of our people,'ť he said.

Nakate called for 'œdrastic action (that) will pull us back from the abyss,'ť saying past promises on climate change had been repeatedly broken.

'œI'm actually here to beg you to prove us wrong,'ť the 24-year-old said. 'œWe desperately need you to prove us wrong. Please prove us wrong. God, help us all, if you fail to prove us wrong. God help us.'ť

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Ellen Knickmeyer contributed to this report.

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Follow AP's coverage of the U.N. climate talks at http://apnews.com/hub/climate