World Leaders Urged to 'Pay Up' at Climate Summit

World leaders gathered at the U.S. climate summit in Baku, urged by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres to commit financially to prevent climate-induced disasters. Guterres highlighted the urgency of limiting global warming to 1.5°C and emphasized the responsibility of the G20 nations in leading clean energy efforts.

World leaders convened at the U.S. climate summit in Baku on Tuesday, where United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres delivered a stark warning: 'pay up' to fend off climate-driven humanitarian crises.

Antonio Guterres emphasized the urgency, stating, 'The sound you hear is the ticking clock. We are in the final countdown to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius and time is not on our side.' He highlighted the disparity between the wealthy nations causing the problem and the poorer ones bearing the consequences.

Guterres called doubling down on fossil fuels absurd and urged for a swift and equitable clean energy transition. He pressed the G20, the world's largest emitters, to lead this effort, insisting that COP29 must secure a viable climate finance deal to ensure developing nations do not depart Baku without substantial financial support.

(With inputs from agencies.)