UN chief urges immediate, decisive actions against climate change

In a powerful address at the World Leaders Climate Action Summit in Belem, Brazil, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for immediate and decisive global efforts to tackle the escalating climate crisis. Speaking ahead of the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30), Guterres emphasized the urgent need for a paradigm shift to address the failure to meet the 1.5-degree Celsius target set by the 2015 Paris Agreement. He warned of severe ecological and socioeconomic consequences if global warming continues unchecked. Guterres urged leaders to act swiftly and collaboratively, stating that rapid and large-scale action could minimize the overshoot and bring temperatures back to safe levels by the end of the century. He also highlighted the transformative potential of clean energy, noting that nearly all new power capacity in 2024 came from renewable sources. The two-day summit, which began on November 6, 2025, brought together global leaders to discuss pressing climate challenges and commitments.