UN chief says ‘immediate and drastic’ emissions cuts needed to avert climate change catastrophe

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United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres says the world must immediately and drastically cut fossil fuel emissions to avert the most catastrophic effects of climate change.

ANTALYA, Turkey — The world must immediately and drastically cut fossil fuel emissions to avert the most catastrophic effects of climate change, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said Friday at his final climate summit, urging the world to “follow the science” and face hard facts.

“You cannot build peace on a burning planet,” Guterres told reporters, stressing that climate change is central to the UN’s work because it contributes to geopolitical instability by driving hunger and displacement, pushing countries into debt and fueling competition for land and water.

“You cannot eradicate poverty when climate disasters keep throwing people back into it,” he added. “You cannot promise young people a better future while destroying the natural systems on which that future depends. And you cannot speak seriously about justice when those who did least to cause this crisis suffer first and worst.”

World leaders meeting in Turkey for the annual UN climate talks are trying to reach consensus on concrete actions to address climate change — which is fueling more intense and deadly heat waves, droughts, floods, and other disasters — and help countries at greatest risk, including island nations that also are losing land to rising seas.

Achieving reductions in emissions is setting up a point of contention at the climate talks, especially around electrification. A goal introduced this year would increase the share of electricity in total global energy consumption from roughly 21 percent to 35 percent by 2035, preferably from renewable energy such as solar and wind.

But it does not require that electricity be generated by renewable sources — something Guterres said is essential — meaning coal and other fossil fuels could be used, at least initially. Climate TRACE, which tracks global emissions via satellites, found that prioritizing clean energy would cut global emissions 14 percent compared to 7 percent if fossil fuels also are used for electrification.

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