June 3, 2026 | 11:51 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday, June 2, urged accelerated climate action as the world experienced its 11th warmest year on record and global temperatures continued to rise. He urged countries to speed up their efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and combat global warming.As reported by ANTARA, Guterres made the remarks in a video message delivered ahead of World Environment Day, which is celebrated annually on June 5, at an event organized by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) China Office in Beijing.Guterres emphasized that climate change has significantly impacted ecosystems, biodiversity, public health, and economies worldwide. He also strongly requested that climate action be carried out more quickly and decisively.Stephen Jackson, the UN Resident Coordinator in China, said the UN system is ready to strengthen its cooperation with China and other partners to advance renewable energy, biodiversity conservation, sustainable urban development, and green finance.Wang Qian, officer-in-charge and head of the UNEP Office for China, said climate change remains one of the most pressing challenges facing humanity, stressing the importance of turning climate awareness into concrete action.Since its inception in 1972, World Environment Day has become one of the UN's largest platforms for environmental campaigning. The focus of this year's celebrations was climate change. The events, which were community-based, aimed to raise awareness of climate issues and promote sustainable lifestyles.Read: Global Warming Is Breaking Up Fish Schools: What's at Stake?Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News
