ISTANBUL
\nUN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that the world has failed to prevent global temperatures from breaching the critical 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) threshold, warning a temporary overshoot is now inevitable.\u201dThe hard truth is that we have failed to ensure we remain below 1.5 degrees,\u201d Guterres told leaders at the Belem Climate Summit in Brazil.
\n\u201cScience now tells us that a temporary overshoot beyond the 1.5 limit \u2013 starting at the latest in the early 2030s \u2013 is inevitable. \u201cThe UN chief warned even temporary breaching would have \u201cdramatic consequences,\u201d exposing billions to unlivable conditions.
\nGuterres said the World Meteorological Organization confirmed emissions reached another record high last year and continued rising in 2025. Current national climate plans would lead to above 2.0 degrees of warming even if fully implemented, he said, calling this outcome \u201cmoral failure \u2013 and deadly negligence.\u201d
\nDespite acknowledging clean energy progress, with renewables overtaking coal as the world\u2019s largest electricity source and investors pouring $2 trillion into clean energy in 2024, Guterres said the obstacle is \u201cpolitical courage,\u201d noting that scientists say it is still possible to keep the 1.5-degree goal \u201cwithin reach.\u201d
\n\u201cToo many leaders remain captive to these entrenched interests,\u201d he said, noting fossil fuels still receive vast subsidies and political support while companies spend billions on lobbying, \u201cdeceiving the public, and obstructing progress.\u201d Guterres urged countries to accelerate fossil fuel phase-out, reach net zero by 2050, and achieve sustained net-negative emissions to pull temperatures back below 1.5\u00b0C before the century\u2019s end.
\nHe demanded that developed countries mobilize $300 billion annually and demonstrate a \u201cclear and credible path\u201d to reaching $1.3 trillion yearly in climate finance for developing countries by 2035, as agreed at COP 29 in Azerbaijan\u2019s capital Baku.\u201dLet us be clear: the 1.5\u00b0C limit is a red line for humanity,\u201d Guterres said. \u201cNo one can bargain with physics. But we can choose to lead \u2013 or be led to ruin.\u201d
\nThe two-day summit in Brazil\u2019s northern city brings together heads of state and government, ministers, and leaders of international organizations to discuss urgent climate change issues and commitments.
\nThe summit is part of the official events of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP30), which will take place from Nov. 10 to 21.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ISTANBUL UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that the world has failed to prevent global temperatures from breaching the critical 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) threshold, warning a temporary overshoot is now inevitable.\u201dThe hard truth is that we have failed to ensure we remain below 1.5 degrees,\u201d Guterres told leaders at the Belem Climate Summit […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":341456,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-513253","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n