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June 16, 2023

U.N. Leader Calls Fossil Fuels "Incompatible with Human Survival" as Temperatures Pass 1.5°C Threshold
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On Thursday, the European Union's climate agency said global surface air
temperatures briefly rose by more than 1.5 degrees Celsius above
preindustrial levels earlier this month for the first time ever. That's
the maximum global temperature rise agreed to under the 2015 Paris
Climate Agreement.

Here in New York, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said
Thursday countries must immediately phase out the burning of coal, oil
and gas, calling them incompatible with human survival. Guterres also
accused fossil fuel companies of attempting to "knee-cap" progress on
the climate crisis.

Secretary-General António Guterres: "Current policies are taking the
world to a 2.8 degree temperature rise by the end of the century. That
spells catastrophe. Yet the collective response remains pitiful. We are
hurtling towards disaster, eyes wide open, with far too many willing it
all on wishful thinking, unproven technologies and silver bullet
solutions. It's time to wake up and step up."



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