UN chief urges drastic emissions cuts at COP31 in Türkiye, warns of inevitable warming overshoot

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday called for immediate, drastic cuts in greenhouse gas emissions, warning that a temporary breach of the 1.5C global warming threshold is now inevitable. Speaking at a news conference on the sidelines of the COP31 climate summit in Türkiye's southern city of Antalya, Guterres said global emissions must fall by around 6% annually over the next few years to limit the scale and duration of the overshoot.

“An overshoot of 1.5 degrees is now inevitable,” he said, stressing the need to keep it “as small as possible for as short a time as possible” and bring temperatures back below the threshold as quickly as possible. He warned that current national climate commitments put the world on track for approximately 2.5C of warming by the end of the century, describing the trajectory as “a recipe for catastrophe.” Guterres called for a faster, just and equitable transition away from fossil fuels, stressing that the expansion of renewable energy must be accompanied by reductions in fossil fuel production and consumption.

“Fossil fuels are driving the climate crisis. There is no credible path to a safe climate without moving away from them,” he said. He urged developed countries to honor their climate finance commitments and accelerate emissions reductions, while calling on emerging economies, including China, to speed up their transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy. Guterres also emphasized the need for greater support for developing countries, particularly the most vulnerable, to help them adapt to climate change and address loss and damage.