BERLIN -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Tuesday that the coronavirus pandemic has exposed how fragile societies are but that if governments work together on common challenges, including global warming, it can be an opportunity to "rebuild our world for the better."
Speaking at a two-day international meeting on climate change, the United Nations chief said the only effective response to the worldwide health emergency is "brave, visionary and collaborative leadership."
"The same leadership is needed to address the looming existential threat of climate disruption," Guterres said, noting that the past decade was the hottest in history since measurements began.
He urged the European Union to show "global leadership" by presenting updated emissions reduction plans by the end of the year that would put Europe on course to become the first climate-neutral continent by 2050.
But Guterres added that other big emitters also have come on board. He noted that the Group of 20 major developed and emerging economies together account for more than 80% of global emissions.
"The Paris Agreement was largely made possible by the engagement of the United States and China," he said, referring to a 2015 climate accord. "Without the contribution of the big emitters, all our efforts will be doomed."
Under U.S. President Donald Trump, the United States has moved to withdraw from the Paris Agreement, which commits to keeping global warming below 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 F) by the end of the century.
"These are dark days, but they are not without hope," Guterres said. "We have a rare and short window of opportunity to rebuild our world for the better."
"Let us use the pandemic recovery to provide a foundation for a safe, healthy, inclusive and more resilient world for all people," he added.
