UN Secretary-General António Guterres announced that the UN is assisting nearly 100 developing countries with their climate action plans ahead of the 2025 UN Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Brazil, taking place from November 10-21, 2025.
In his New Year address to the UN General Assembly, Guterres emphasized the urgent need for action to curb global warming, referencing extreme weather events such as the wildfires in Los Angeles. He highlighted that the world now invests nearly twice as much in clean energy as in fossil fuels, marking significant progress in combating climate change.
Guterres also acknowledged the UN’s role in advancing socio-economic progress, such as improvements in education and healthcare, and reducing HIV infections and malaria mortality rates.
While he celebrated global climate action, he stressed the challenges posed by ongoing conflicts, inequality, and the climate crisis. Guterres called for negotiators to finalize a Gaza ceasefire and underscored the need for multilateral reform to accelerate progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Looking ahead, he urged caution in the rapidly advancing field of artificial intelligence, emphasizing the need for governance that protects human rights while promoting innovation, particularly in developing countries.
“We must never lose sight of hope,” Guterres said, calling for decisive action to shape a sustainable future.
