Guterres says world ‘not on track’ with climate change

WELLINGTON, May 12 (AFP): UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres launched a brief South Pacific tour in New Zealand Sunday, warning the world was "not on track" to limiting global temperature rises.

In a strong message for action on climate change, Guterres said international political resolve was fading and it was the small island nations that were "really in the front line" and would suffer most.

His visit, ahead of the Climate Action Summit in September in New York will also take him to Fiji, Tuvalu and Vanuatu which are under threat from rising sea levels.

"We are seeing everywhere a clear demonstration that we are not on track to achieve the objectives defined in the Paris agreement," Guterres said on the failure to limit rises to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial revolution levels.

"And the paradox is, that as things are getting worse on the ground, political moves seem to be fading," he added in the joint press conference in Auckland with New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.

During his three days in New Zealand, Guterres will also meet with Muslim leaders in Christchurch to show solidarity following the March 15 massacre in which 51 people were killed by a lone gunman who attacked two mosques during Friday prayers.

Meanwhile, the UN confirmed a withdrawal by Yemen's Huthi rebels from three Red Sea ports had begun Saturday, while a senior pro-government official accused the rebels of faking the pullout.

The rebel pullback is a first step in implementing a hard-won ceasefire deal reached between Yemen's internationally-recognised government and the Iran-backed Huthi rebels late last year.

"Yes, it has begun," said UN spokesman Farhan Haq, when AFP asked whether redeployment of Huthi troops was underway.

Sources close to the Huthis said that the ports were handed over to coastguard personnel who were in charge before the rebels took over almost five years ago.