"Moment to act for our environment, future": Guterres urges global action on World Environment Day
Geneva, June 5
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Friday urged collective global action as the world marks Environment Day.
In a speech shared on his X account, Guterres highlighted how this World Environment Day warning signals are everywhere about the damage being caused to the environment.
"The past 11 years have been the 11 hottest on record. And the damage goes far beyond rising temperatures, from polluted air to degraded land, collapsing ecosystems and vanishing biodiversity, harming health, destroying homes and deepening hunger. The world is heading for a temporary overshoot above 1.5 degrees. Every fraction of a degree brings greater harm, especially to the most vulnerable," he said.
He said that the goal must be to bring down the overshoot and temperatures back down via actions such as slashing emissions, accelerating a just transition away from fossil fuels and towards renewables--which would result in lowering costs and securing real energy security.
Other suggestions he listed included cutting methane, protecting forests, land and seas and helping communities adapt to the devastating impacts already here.
"It means fulfilling climate finance promises to developing countries to save lives, protect livelihoods and strengthen economies. This is the moment to act for our environment and for our future", Guterres said.
June 5 marks World Environment Day, and the focus in 2026 is on climate change, as noted by the UNEP.
It highlighted how climate change is one of the urgent signals the Earth is sending and the signals we choose to send in response. It called on everyone to step in, go further, and help steer a world already in motion.
Earlier, Guterres urged countries to take urgent climate action to tackle worsening extreme weather risks ahead of El Nino.
Sharing a press statement issued by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), Guterres said the climate phenomenon would intensify the impacts of global warming and increase the frequency of extreme weather events worldwide.
"The science is clear: El Nino is arriving on our doorstep in the coming months with 90 per cent certainty. The world must treat it as the urgent climate warning it is," Guterres said.
The WMO statement warned that above-average temperatures are expected across nearly all parts of the globe between June and August, increasing the risks of heat stress, the development of drought conditions and heavy rainfall in some areas.
Calling for immediate global action, the UN chief stressed that the only effective response was "ending the addiction to fossil fuels, accelerating the shift to renewables, protecting the most vulnerable, and delivering early warning systems for all."
— ANI
Reader Comments
Guterres is right, but actions speak louder than words. Look at how much plastic we're still producing, how many forests are being cleared. It's not just about government policies - each of us needs to change our lifestyle. Less waste, more cycling, planting trees. The difference starts at home.
It's heartbreaking to see our rivers drying up and air quality worsening year after year. But I'm hopeful seeing our youth leading tree-planting drives and clean-up campaigns. The government should make environmental education compulsory in schools. We need to build a generation that respects nature, not just exploits it. 🌱
Honestly, I'm tired of hearing the same speeches every year. Where are the binding commitments? Countries like India and China need to phase out coal faster, and the West needs to stop outsourcing their emissions. Everyone points fingers but nobody actually changes. We need a global carbon tax with teeth.
Living in a coastal city, I see the rising sea levels and stronger cyclones first-hand. Our farmers are struggling with unpredictable weather, and water scarcity is real. Guterres is 100% correct - this is the moment to act. But developed nations must fulfil their $100 billion climate finance promise first. Justice for developing countries!
I appreciate the urgency Guterres brings, but the problem is systemic - capitalism is incompatible with sustainability. We're treating the symptoms (heatwaves, fires) but not the disease (overconsumption, fossil fuel subsidies). India's UPA scheme for solar is great, but globally we need degrowth in rich countries. Just my
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