2026
Secretary-General's Message
This World Environment Day, warning signals are everywhere.
The past eleven years have been the eleven hottest on record.
And the damage goes far beyond rising temperatures – from polluted air to degraded land, collapsing ecosystems, and vanishing biodiversity.
Harming health, destroying homes and deepening hunger.
The world is heading for a temporary overshoot above 1.5 degrees.
Every fraction of a degree brings greater harm – especially to the most vulnerable.
Our task is to make that overshoot as small, as short, and as safe as possible – and rapidly bring temperatures back down.
That means slashing emissions.
Accelerating a just transition away from fossil fuels and towards renewables – the only sustainable path to lower costs and to real energy security.
Cutting methane – one of the fastest, cheapest ways to limit near-term warming.
Protecting forests, land, and seas.
Helping communities adapt to the devastating impacts already here.
And it means fulfilling climate finance promises to developing countries – to save lives, protect livelihoods, and strengthen economies.
This is the moment to act – for our environment and for our future