The United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, has accused fossil fuel companies of ignoring their own climate science. He says the commitment to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels is “going up in smoke”. According to research, Exxon Mobil was aware of the dangers of global warming as early as the 1970s, while other oil industry bodies were aware of the risks associated with burning fossil fuels as early as the 1950s. The primary cause of the climate emergency is the use of fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and gas. Without action, humanity is on track for a 2.8-degree Celsius rise in global temperature. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres recently criticised the “massive public relations machine” used to protect the fossil fuel industry from scrutiny.
Climate scientists warned last year that the fight to keep the global temperature rise under 1.5 degrees Celsius had reached “now or never” territory. Novartis intends to spin off its generics division Sandoz in order to focus more on its patented prescription medicines.
