UN Secretary-General António Guterres. (Photo: Xinhua/VNA)

Guterres said it is still possible to limit global warming to 1.5° Celsius above preindustrial levels, but “only with dramatic, immediate climate action.”

“We need a course correction in the global financial system so that it supports accelerated climate action and ambitious new national emissions reduction targets from G20 members," he said.

This month’s mean global temperature is projected to be at least 0.2C (0.4F) warmer than July 2019, the former hottest in the 174-year observational record, according to EU data.