UN Chief Urges Oil Companies to Pay for Climate Damage

António Guterres, the departing Secretary‑General of the United Nations, used his final address to the General Assembly on Tuesday to criticize the world’s slow response to the climate crisis. Speaking before a gathering of heads of state and international leaders, Guterres highlighted the “painful summer” of climate‑driven disasters that underscored the urgency of action, yet he noted that many leaders remain preoccupied with other priorities.

In his remarks, Guterres singled out the oil and gas industry, accusing it of treating the atmosphere “as an open sewer” and demanding that firms bear the financial burden of the environmental damage they have caused. He warned that the catastrophic effects of climate change will intensify if emissions are not curtailed, and urged governments to enforce stricter regulations and accountability measures on the sector.

Guterres concluded by calling for a renewed global commitment to the Paris Agreement and a shift toward sustainable energy sources. He urged the international community to translate the warning into concrete policy changes, emphasizing that the window for meaningful mitigation is narrowing as the planet’s climate systems continue to destabilize.