As global leaders convene in Brazil for the COP30 climate summit, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres delivered a powerful address urging immediate action to avert rising global temperatures and maintain the crucial 1.5°C target. Speaking from Belém, Guterres highlighted the urgency and dire implications of climate inaction, stating, “Every fraction of a degree means more hunger, displacement, and loss—especially for those least responsible.”
Guterres described the consequences of failing to limit global heating as a “moral failure and deadly negligence.” He emphasized that continued warm years would devastate economies, deepen inequalities, and hit developing nations the hardest, despite their minimal contributions to the crisis. The Secretary-General acknowledged the reality of a temporary overshoot of the 1.5°C limit starting as early as the 2030s, warning that such a development would unleash catastrophic effects worldwide.
Echoing Guterres’ call, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) chief, Celeste Saulo, confirmed that greenhouse gas emissions are at their highest in 800,000 years. Saulo further noted that from January to August this year, the Earth’s average temperature was approximately 1.42°C above pre-industrial levels, with ocean temperatures also reaching unprecedented highs, leading to irreversible harm to marine systems and economies.
The WMO’s State of the Global Climate Update 2025 indicates that the period from 2015 to 2025 is on track to become the hottest in recorded history. The report asserts that without decisive action, the world is heading toward a temperature rise of 2.3 to 2.5°C by century’s end. However, it remains hopeful that it is still possible to bring temperatures back below the 1.5°C threshold by the century’s close if immediate measures are enacted.
Guterres underlined the necessity of rapid emissions reductions, a swift transition away from fossil fuels, and a concerted effort to protect forests and oceans, calling them a “single living system” essential to our climate. Notably, he praised the ongoing clean energy revolution, where investments in renewables now exceed those in fossil fuels by $800 billion. He affirmed, “Clean energy is winning in price, performance, and potential,” but stressed the need for political courage to fully realize this transition.
COP30’s Special Envoy for the Ocean, Marinez Scherer, appealed for unified efforts to protect both forests and oceans, highlighting their vital contributions to global oxygen production, temperature regulation, and economic sustenance. Dr. Scherer asserted, “Protecting the ocean and the Amazon is not just an environmental imperative, but a collective act of survival.”
As the summit unfolds, the sentiment expressed by Guterres and others resonates: there is still hope for transformative change through collaborative efforts. With the increasing focus on renewable energy and the shared commitment to environmental stewardship, there remains a significant opportunity for nations to work together in addressing the climate crisis effectively, securing a healthier planet for future generations.