More evidence that global climate cycles are aligned with US presidential election cycles.

‘Climate change moving faster than we are,’ says UN Secretary General

By Matt McGrath
Environment correspondent

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has said that if the world doesn’t change course by 2020, we run the risk of runaway climate change.

Mr Guterres said he was alarmed by the paralysis of world leaders on what he called the “defining issue” of our time.

He wants heads of government to come to New York for a special climate conference next September.

The call comes amid growing concerns over the slow pace of UN negotiations.

Mr Guterres painted a grim picture of the impacts of climate change that he says have been felt all over the world this year, with heatwaves, wildfires, storms and floods leaving a trail of destruction.

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The world has the tools, and the ability. Renewables are cost-competitive with coal and oil, he said. By 2030, wind and solar could power more than a third of Europe.

But the lack of decisive political leadership was hampering everything, he said.

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Read more: https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-45471410

My question – given the UN Secretary General’s assertion that renewables are cost competitive with coal and oil, why does he feel that so much “decisive political leadership” is required? Normally when something is price competitive the free market takes care of the transition, industrialists embrace the new technology of their own free will.