Guterres Calls COP31 Climate Talks ‘Moment of Truth’

Ahead of COP31, scheduled for Nov. 9–20 in Turkey, U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres urged world leaders to stop delaying climate action and take greater responsibility for cutting greenhouse-gas emissions. With his second and final term ending this year, the conference is his last major climate appeal as secretary-general, delivered amid worsening heat waves, floods, storms and droughts. Guterres has said the Paris Agreement’s 1.5-degree warming limit may no longer be attainable, faulted political leadership for inadequate action, and pointed to the growth of cheaper wind and solar power as a source of hope; he has also called for support for climate-vulnerable countries, including through taxes on fossil-fuel companies’ windfall profits.