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Interview: New UN climate chief takes the fight personally

Simon Stiell sits for an interview to discuss his new role as the executive secretary of the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change, Thursday, Sept. 22, 2022, at U.N. headquarters. “Living half my life in a climate-vulnerable nation gives me a deep appreciation. ... I’ve seen my country flattened through hurricanes. I’ve seen sea level rise around my ankles. ... And I’ve also been in government finding solutions and responsible as the lead policymaker in how we build a more resilient nation with the limited resources that we have.” (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews) Simon Stiell sits for an interview to discuss his new role as the executive secretary of the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change, Thursday, Sept. 22, 2022, at U.N. headquarters. “Pakistan, a third of the country under water, billions of dollars in damages, lives lost, millions displaced. How do they recover from that?” Stiell asks. Rich polluting countries will have to pay to help poorer countries that are climate victims, like his, he said. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews) Simon Stiell sits for an interview to discuss his new role as the executive secretary of the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change, Thursday, Sept. 22, 2022, at U.N. headquarters. “Loss and damage has to be addressed,” Stiell said. “It’s a very difficult conversation, but it’s a conversation that has to be had. Positions have softened over the years from nonacceptance and refusal to discuss this to a point now where these are agenda items in the negotiations. So that is a step forward.” (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews) Simon Stiell sits for an interview to discuss his new role as the executive secretary of the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change, Thursday, Sept. 22, 2022, at U.N. headquarters. Coming from Grenada, a country hit hard by climate, gives him “a deep understanding,” but Stiell says his new job means “I also have to factor in the positions of some of those richer nations” and bring everyone together. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews) Simon Stiell sits for an interview to discuss his new role as the executive secretary of the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change, Thursday, Sept. 22, 2022, at U.N. headquarters. Stiell was the environment and climate resilience minister on the small island nation of Grenada until a few weeks ago. It’s now his job to make sure the world cuts about half emissions of heat-trapping gases — which are helping trigger unprecedented frequent weather disasters — in just eight years, or, as he puts it, two World Cups or two Olympics away. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)