Antonio Guterres, the Secretary General of the United Nations, has urged leaders to take drastic action in the fight against climate change. In a report released by the UN, it was revealed that countries’ commitments to reduce greenhouse gases are not enough to prevent warming beyond safe limits, potentially reaching a catastrophic 2.9 degrees Celsius this century.

Guterres emphasized the need for increased ambition in national plans to align with 1.5 degrees and end the use of fossil fuels. He criticized the failure of leadership and betrayal of vulnerable communities, stating that current trends are leading the planet towards a dangerous increase of three degrees in temperature.

The UN has warned that based on current policies, the planet is on track for disastrous warming of 2.5 to 2.9 degrees by 2100. Despite efforts to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, the world continues to release record levels of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, with emissions rising by 1.2% from 2021 to 2022, largely driven by fossil fuel combustion and industrial processes.

The upcoming COP28 climate talks in Dubai will be crucial in addressing these issues and defining the necessary steps to combat climate change. It is up to leaders and nations around the world to take action and make drastic changes if they want to prevent catastrophic warming and secure a safe future for future generations.