UN official warns climate disasters worsening due to fossil fuel use

A United Nations official warned on Tuesday that climate‑driven disasters are reaching “nightmare proportions” as the world’s continued reliance on fossil fuels intensifies extreme weather events. António Guterres, the UN Secretary‑General, said the growing frequency and severity of floods, heatwaves, wildfires and storms are directly linked to the “addiction” to carbon‑intensive energy sources, underscoring the urgent need for a rapid transition to renewable alternatives.

The warning follows a series of recent catastrophes, including record‑breaking heat in South Asia, devastating floods in Europe, and unprecedented wildfires in North America, all of which have been documented in the UN’s latest climate assessment. The report highlights that global greenhouse‑gas emissions remain above the threshold required to limit warming to 1.5°C, and calls on governments to accelerate decarbonisation, strengthen resilience measures, and fulfill financial commitments to vulnerable nations ahead of the upcoming climate summit.