America News Agency

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres emphasized the need for faster action to combat the climate crisis in his speech at the opening ceremony of the COP31 Leaders' Summit.

Guterres stated that global emissions reached record levels in 2025 and that the past four years were among the hottest on record. He said the Paris Agreement's 1.5-degree target was becoming increasingly difficult to achieve, but stressed that efforts to combat climate change must not be abandoned.

Highlighting the importance of moving away from fossil fuels, Guterres said: "We must give up fossil fuels, just as we gave up dinosaurs. But this will not happen on its own. Dinosaurs did not have a lobby, but fossil fuels do."

Guterres stated that fossil fuel lobbies distort science, delaying policies and climate action. Emphasizing the need to increase investment in renewable energy, he called for global renewable energy capacity to triple by 2035 compared with 2022 levels.

Addressing the importance of climate finance, Guterres said developed countries must provide $300 billion annually in climate financing by 2035 and at least triple adaptation financing. He stressed that developing countries struggling with the impacts of the climate crisis need financial and technological support.

In his speech, Guterres urged countries to act more quickly, declaring, "Now is the time for action." Noting that he would no longer serve as UN Secretary-General starting next year, Guterres said he would continue fighting the climate crisis.