President Ali calls for faster Global Climate Action at COP in Brazil
President Irfaan Ali, while in Brazil for the Conference of Parties on climate change, has raised concern about what he described as the slow pace of global climate action. He warned that while debates and denial continue, communities across the world are already living with the severe impacts of climate change.
The President pointed to the recent devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa in the Caribbean as another reminder that climate commitments must now move beyond words and into urgent implementation.
Ali told the gathering that the global climate agenda is being slowed not only by climate deniers and those driven by profit, but also by activists and bureaucratic systems that create confusion and fatigue among the public.
Further, he stated that this has resulted in a different kind of climate denial, one that leaves people feeling that solutions are either impossible or too distant. He stressed that the COP process must be strengthened, not abandoned, so that meaningful cooperation can take place.
He called for investment in renewable energy, while also supporting a science-based transition that allows for the lowest carbon and most efficient use of remaining fossil fuels as the world changes its energy systems.
He said the global community must recommit to fairness, collaboration, and measurable action, noting that this moment requires courage and a focus on real results, not slogans.
Meanwhile, the President Ali highlighted that Guyana has launched some of the largest climate adaptation programs in its history, with major investments in drainage, irrigation, and climate-resilient infrastructure to protect communities from rising risks.
He added thay Guyana will continue to show through example that sustainable development is possible, where forests are protected, people are uplifted, and the country contributes to a stronger and more resilient global future.
