UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned world leaders this Wednesday, saying that “we have opened the gates of hell” by not acting decisively against the climate crisis, during a summit on the occasion of the United Nations General Assembly that is being held. in NYC.

“Fire has terrible consequences. Farmers watch in horror as floods wash away their crops. heat They create diseases. And thousands are fleeing in fear as historic fires spread,” he said in his opening speech at the Climate Ambition summit.

But the Portuguese did not stop there. He believed that there was still time limit temperature rise to 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial limits, but to do this we must end millions of dollars in fossil energy subsidies and a carbon tax, among other measures.

Antonio Guterres He was particularly critical of companies that he said were “trying to block” the energy transition to a net-zero emissions economy by “using their wealth and influence to delay, distract and deceive.”

He also expressed sympathy for less industrialized countries that are suffering the most devastating consequences of a climate crisis they had no part in and that are stuck in unsustainable debt situations with the richest countries.