UN Secretary-General António Guterres says the Paris Agreement has proven effective in slowing projected global temperature rise but warns that the pace of climate action remains far too slow ahead of next year’s COP30 in Brazil.
Speaking at a High-Level Special Event on Climate Action, Guterres said that in the decade since the Paris accord was signed, projected global warming has dropped from four degrees Celsius to less than three – a sign of progress, but not yet success.
“Now, we need new plans for 2035 that go much further, and much faster,” he urged.
Guterres outlined five critical areas for acceleration – energy, methane reduction, forest protection, industrial decarbonization, and climate justice – each requiring urgent global commitment and investment.
Despite growth in renewables, fossil fuels still dominate the global energy mix. Guterres called for massive investments in power grids and energy storage to “unlock the full potential of renewables” and urged wealthy nations to lower capital costs for developing countries.
- China met its 2030 wind and solar target six years ahead of schedule.
- India reached 50% electricity capacity from non-fossil fuels five years early.
He also called for redirecting fossil fuel subsidies toward supporting a just energy transition that benefits workers and vulnerable communities.
Methane, a powerful heat-trapping gas, must be cut drastically within this decade, he said. The International Energy Agency says fossil fuel companies could cut methane emissions by 40% at no extra cost, making it one of the easiest climate actions to achieve.
Calling forests “nature’s greatest carbon sinks,” Guterres pressed for an end to deforestation, noting that protecting and restoring ecosystems could deliver a fifth of the global emissions reductions needed by 2030.
In addition, he highlighted new technologies capable of decarbonizing steel, cement, and heavy transport, but stressed that these innovations must move “from pilot projects to full-scale deployment urgently.”
The Secretary-General placed particular emphasis on equity and justice, noting that developing nations “did least to cause the crisis but are suffering the most.” “Climate disasters are inflicting damages that exceed the GDP of some small islands,” he said. “Droughts and floods are taking lives, fueling hunger, and inflaming conflict.”
As a result, he called for reforming the global financial system to better serve developing countries, including debt relief, climate-linked debt swaps, and expanded lending from multilateral development banks. Guterres urged major contributions to the Loss and Damage Fund, and a doubling of adaptation finance – a promise developed countries made but have yet to fully deliver.
Looking ahead to COP30 in Belém, Brazil, Guterres said the conference must present a credible roadmap to mobilize $1.3 trillion annually in climate finance by 2035, as agreed at COP29 in Baku.
That roadmap, he said, must clearly identify funding sources, ensure finance is accessible and affordable, and include strong accountability measures to verify progress.
“Science demands action. The law commands it. The economics compel it. And people are calling for it,” Guterres insisted.
