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

At a Wednesday press conference, Guterres decried “the sheer inadequacy of the global response to the climate crisis.” Climate change, Guterres noted, is caused by greenhouse gas emissions that have overwhelmingly come from the world’s richest countries, but the extreme weather events and the devastation they cause are falling hardest on poor countries.

He called on world leaders to make immediate efforts to bring down global temperatures as soon as possible and provide financing to help poorer countries adapt to climate change.

Guterres said G-20 countries are responsible for the current greenhouse gas emissions and climate change, even if these countries themselves are not suffering the consequences of natural disasters.

Climate change and other urgent issues will be discussed at the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly next week.