Wildfires drive record leap in global level of climate-heating CO2

Guterres made an address to the UN general assembly on Wednesday on his priorities for 2025, in which the climate crisis was a major theme.

“Who pays the price for climate destruction around the globe? Not the fossil fuel industry pocketing profits and taxpayer subsidies as their products wreak havoc,” he said. “Every day people suffer: with their lives and livelihoods; with higher insurance premiums, volatile energy bills, and higher food prices.”

“Today, governments around the globe spend nine times more making fossil fuels cheaper than they do on making clean energy more affordable for consumers,” blocking climate action, Guterres said. “We must tear down these walls.”