UN chief laments 'naked greed' of fossil fuel interests, countries criticize big polluters

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UNITED NATIONS, Sept 20 (Reuters) - Countries addressing a climate summit during the U.N. General Assembly criticized big polluters for not doing more to tackle global warming, and the U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said time was running short thanks to the "naked greed" of fossil fuel interests.

With the two-week U.N. climate summit, COP28, due to start on Nov. 29 in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, Guterres and leaders from climate-vulnerable nations implored policymakers around the world to phase out climate-warming fossil fuels.

"The move from fossil fuels to renewables is happening – but we are decades behind," Guterres said at the start of the one-day summit. "We must make up time lost to foot-dragging, arm-twisting and the naked greed of entrenched interests raking in billions from fossil fuels."

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While some railed against the fossil fuel industry and countries' continued reliance on oil, gas and coal, others highlighted the need to reform financial institutions to improve access to funding for developing nations.

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Those not invited to speak included the world's two top polluters - the United States and China – though U.S. Special Envoy on Climate Change John Kerry was in the audience. China's U.N. mission did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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Kenyan President William Ruto urged countries to create a universal tax on fossil fuel trades, levies on aviation and maritime emissions and financial transactions to raise trillions of dollars. "Neither Africa nor the developing world stands in need of charity" from developed countries, Ruto said.

California Governor Gavin Newsom spoke about his state's leadership on climate policies, including a ban on the sale of new gas engine vehicles by 2035. He also called out the oil industry for obstructing climate action.

"This climate crisis is a fossil fuel crisis," he said, drawing applause from heads of state and others in the room. "For decades and decades, the oil industry has been playing each and every one of us in this room for fools. They've been buying off politicians."

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With 70 days before COP28 begins, Barbados's prime minister questioned this week's focus at UNGA on the war in Ukraine.

"I hope that, in the same way that we can take Ukraine seriously in the Security Council, we can take the climate crisis and the financing for it seriously," said Mia Mottley, who has called for a debt cancellation for low-income countries among other measures.

Climate change "is as much of a threat - in fact a greater threat because more lives are at stake globally than are at stake in Ukraine," she added.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said countries need to meet the long-unmet target of mobilizing $100 billion per year in climate finance.

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Nepali Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, representing the bloc of least developed countries, called for a doubling in finance for adapting to a climate-altered world, as this year is on track to be the warmest on record.

Kristalina Georgieva, managing director of the International Monetary Fund, called on countries to end fossil fuel subsidies, noting they had increased to a record $7 trillion last year despite a global pledge in 2021 to phase them out.

The U.N.'s Green Climate Fund for disbursing climate finance to developing countries also announced a goal of capitalizing at least $50 billion by 2030.

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