Johannesburg – United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has called on developed nations to urgently ramp up climate finance for developing countries, warning that the global community is running out of time to address the growing climate crisis.
Speaking at a media briefing in Johannesburg on Friday, ahead of the G20 Leaders’ Summit, Guterres stressed the need for developed countries to meet their promise of doubling adaptation finance, aiming for at least US$40 billion this year. He further urged world leaders to mobilise the US$300 billion annually promised to developing nations by 2035 to help them combat climate change.
“Failure to keep temperatures within the 1.5°C rise limit is now unavoidable. The overshoot above this limit is coming, but we must make it as brief, small, and manageable as possible,” Guterres warned. He added that bridging the adaptation gap required urgent action and a significant scale-up in financing.
The UN chief also raised concerns about Africa’s energy future, calling for the continent to be prioritised in the global shift to clean energy. Despite Africa’s vast potential for solar and wind energy, the continent receives only a fraction of global renewable energy investments. Guterres urged greater investment to help Africa transition to clean energy, which he described as essential for electrifying homes, schools, clinics, and industries while creating jobs for the continent’s growing youth population.
“Fossil fuels continue to receive massive subsidies, and corporations are profiting from climate destruction. We cannot allow lobbyists to greenwash the truth while developing countries are left behind,” he said.
The UN Secretary-General reiterated that addressing climate change requires a fairer, more accessible global financial system, with national policies and budgets aligned to a just energy transition. He also stressed the importance of providing developing countries with the resources and technology needed to invest in energy infrastructure, such as grids and storage systems.
Guterres is set to discuss these issues with global leaders during the G20 Summit, which begins on Saturday in Johannesburg. The summit, hosted by South Africa under the theme “Solidarity, Equality, and Sustainability,” will focus on key economic and financial challenges, with climate action at the forefront.
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