Published on: 2026-06-25
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
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June 24, 2026 Climate and Environment
Climate change is occurring faster than humanity can adapt its systems, infrastructure, and institutions to it. This was stated by UN Secretary-General António Guterres while speaking at the Climate Finance and Development Forum in London.
On the last day of his visit to the capital of the United Kingdom, where he arrived to participate in Climate Action Week, the UN chief emphasized that adaptation to climate change is no longer preparation for a distant future.
“The speech is about risk management in real-time mode, which is especially clearly demonstrated by the exhausting heat currently affecting London and many other regions of the world,” he noted.
According to the Secretary General, data from the World Meteorological Organization confirm that the past 11 years have been the hottest in the entire history of observations, and scientists expect that in the coming years the average global temperature will exceed the threshold of 1.5 degrees Celsius.
Risks for people and the economy
Guterres warned that even if the temperature is later reduced, some of the damage may be irreversible. As examples, he cited the degradation of coral reefs, on which no less than 300 million people depend, the accelerated melting of the Greenland and West Antarctic glaciers, as well as the risk of irreversible changes in the Amazon ecosystem.
“In an interconnected world, climate vulnerability anywhere on the planet becomes a risk to the economy and a security threat,” said the Secretary-General.
“Polluters must pay”
The UN chief noted that adaptation measures remain chronically underfunded, and the most vulnerable countries face the most serious financial barriers, despite the fact that their actions have had a minimal impact on the climate.
He called on developed countries to triple the financing of adaptation measures, replenish climate funds, and expand the provision of grant support, especially for small island developing states and least developed countries.
UN/Photo. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres speaks at the Forum on Climate Finance and Development in London.
Guterres also proposed seeking new sources of funding, including special levies on industries with high emission levels.
“Companies creating climate chaos cannot continue to profit from destruction while vulnerable countries try to cope with the consequences. Polluters must pay,” he emphasized.
Methane – the main “super pollutant”
Speaking at a reception dedicated to the fight against the so-called super-polluters of the atmosphere, the General Secretary stated that the world is already moving towards exceeding the 1.5-degree threshold and now the main task is to make this period as short and safe as possible.
“It is impossible without a sharp reduction in emissions right now and an accelerated refusal of fossil fuels right now,” he said.
According to Guterres, almost half of global warming is linked to super pollutants – powerful greenhouse gases, among which methane occupies a special place.
“Methane is a super-super pollutant,” said the UN chief.
Although methane remains in the atmosphere significantly less time than carbon dioxide, it accounts for almost one third of the scale of current global warming.
“Reducing methane emissions is the fastest way to slow down the heating of the planet,” emphasized the Secretary-General.
Global call to action
In this regard, Guterres stated the necessity to intensify efforts within the framework of the global call for actions to reduce methane emissions. The initiative covers three main sources of emissions: agriculture, waste, and the fossil fuel sector.
Special attention is paid to the oil and gas industry. According to the data provided by the Secretary-General, in 2025, 167 billion cubic meters of gas were burned – the maximum figure in the last six years and a volume comparable to the annual consumption of the entire African continent.
At the same time, as experts note, about 70 percent of methane emissions in the oil and gas sector can be eliminated with existing technologies at minimal cost.
“The period of voluntary actions has ended. The time has come for clear rules and standards established by governments and implemented by industry,” Gutierrez said.
He reminded that the international community has already been able to solve similar environmental problems, including the restoration of the ozone layer and the abandonment of leaded gasoline.
“The world can – and must – do the same regarding methane pollution,” emphasized the UN chief.
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