Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned about the severe consequences of “fossil fuel-charged” climate change for humanity.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has urged the international community to take action against what he calls an “extreme heat epidemic” affecting millions globally and putting significant strain on economies.
Addressing reporters on Thursday, the UN chief highlighted that escalating temperatures are “no longer a short-term issue,” with global meteorological organizations reporting a rapid rise in the scale, intensity, and frequency of extreme heat events.
He cautioned that unless all nations collaborate to mitigate the effects of rising temperatures, the situation will “worsen.”
“Extreme heat is the new normal,” he stated, noting that billions of people worldwide are facing extreme temperatures and “suffering under increasingly deadly heat waves.”
Heat is estimated to claim nearly half a million lives annually, about 30 times more than tropical cyclones.
Guterres proposed an action plan aimed at helping nations limit the impacts of climate change. First, he advocated for strengthening protection “for the most vulnerable,” including the urban poor, pregnant women, people with disabilities, older adults, and children. He demanded increased funding to expand heat health warning systems and enhance access to low-carbon cooling to assist these groups.
Second, the UN chief called for enhanced worker protections, including new labor laws and regulations. He warned that heat stress in the workplace is projected to cost the global economy $2.4 trillion by 2030, a significant increase from $280 billion in the mid-1990s.
Guterres also urged for “building resilience” in economies and societies to climate change through “comprehensive, tailored Heat Action Plans, based on the best scientific knowledge and data.”
He stated that beyond the direct impact of climate change on individuals, it affects the planet as a whole, leading to “ever-more intense hurricanes, floods, droughts, wildfires, rising sea levels,” and other consequences.
According to Guterres, all these phenomena are “symptoms” of the “addiction to fossil fuels,” and climate inaction will only exacerbate them over time. He appealed to governments, particularly G20 nations, to present national climate action plans focused on phasing out fossil fuels.
Guterres’ address came a day after the EU climate change monitor declared July 22 the hottest day on record. According to the Copernicus Climate Change Service, the global average surface air temperature reached 17.15C (62.9F), the highest reading since it began tracking this indicator in 1940.