United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said on Tuesday, 10 November, that it is “essential” to accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels in order to limit global temperature rises to 1.5 degrees Celsius and build cleaner, more secure economies.

Speaking at the 31st UN Climate Conference (COP31), under way in Antalya, Turkey, Guterres argued that fossil fuels not only drive the climate crisis but that dependence on them carries a “high” economic and security cost, as demonstrated by the crisis in the Middle East.

Across 130 countries, petrol prices have risen by around 26% and diesel by 38%, with “households, businesses and governments paying the price”, he observed. Meanwhile, nine oil companies expect to profit more than $95 billion in just three months — the equivalent of more than $1 billion per day. Against that backdrop, Guterres called for reduced dependence through clean energy, electricity grids, storage, energy efficiency and electrification.

“There is no single transition that fits all, since countries have different levels of dependence, different capacities and different starting points”, but all pathways must lead in the same direction, he stressed. He also warned that “national action alone will not be sufficient”, since in an interconnected global market, supply and demand must be managed jointly.

Guterres identified the use of the global roadmap — proposed by Brazil — to develop country-specific national roadmaps as a priority, and argued that governments “must determine where fossil fuels are used, which jobs and incomes depend on them, and what obstacles are preventing alternatives”.

“Importing countries must reduce their exposure while simultaneously expanding access to clean energy”, while producing countries must diversify their economies and prepare for changes in revenues, industries and employment, he said.

For Guterres, it is “essential to adapt international support to these roadmaps”, adding that “developed countries, development banks and other partners must coordinate financing, technology and capacity-building around these priorities”.

The UN Secretary-General underlined that “cooperation between fossil fuel importing and exporting countries must be strengthened”, given that their decisions are interconnected.

“Now, here at COP31, we must move from debating the transition to organising, financing and delivering it”, Guterres added, urging participants to leave Antalya with “concrete and clear measures to continue advancing this roadmap”.