UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres (Photo: AFP/VNA)

At a joint press conference with New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, Mr. Guterres said countries are not living up to their commitments under the 2016 Paris Agreement to keep the global temperature increase to below 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. He said the paradox is that as things get worse on the ground, political will seem to be fading, and Pacific Island nations are now on the front line of climate change. Prime Minister Ardern said climate change is the biggest problem the international community is facing.