From rising energy bills to children breathing polluted air and communities being hit by floods, droughts and extreme heat, the costs of our dependence on fossil fuels are now impossible to ignore. The UN Secretary-General is right: countries that stay tied to fossil fuels are exposing their economies to massive risks, while those that invest in clean energy are already reaping the benefits of greater energy security, more stable prices, stronger economies and healthier people.”
The Secretary-General has prioritized three of our most urgent issues — AI, methane and resilience — where decisions made today will have far-reaching consequences for people and the planet.
This is the moment for governments and businesses to show they are serious about ensuring AI improves people’s lives and supports a more sustainable future, rather than causing harm. The climate, land and water impacts of AI data centers must be disclosed clearly — for every AI product and service — so that consumers, businesses and governments can see the true cost of what they're buying, and decision-makers can regulate, procure differently, or push for better alternatives.
Governments and companies must work together to power AI with renewable energy, upgrade grids to handle surging demand and bring communities into decisions.
The Secretary-General’s call to cut methane emissions brings renewed attention to this issue when it’s urgently needed. Few actions can slow warming as quickly as cutting methane, and solutions are already within reach across oil and gas, waste and agriculture. Now we need the political will, investment and practical action to put those solutions to work while protecting food security, livelihoods and community wellbeing.
The speech comes as heat waves bear down on communities from India to the UK. Climate impacts are already destroying homes, disrupting businesses and livelihoods and increasing pressure on public finances. A more systemic approach to adaptation is urgently needed, with countries embedding resilience into planning and decision making, and using insurance and other risk-sharing approaches to unlock investment at scale.
Investing in resilience is not just a climate imperative, but rather one of the smartest economic investments countries can make. Research shows climate adaptation investments can yield massive returns — over $10 for every $1 spent.
Ani Dasgupta is President & CEO, World Resources Institute. This is his comment on UN Secretary-General António Guterres address on the Global Response to the Climate and Energy Crises at London Climate Action Week. Drawing on the latest scientific evidence, he made the case that the worsening climate crisis and growing energy insecurity share a common root: the world's continued dependence on fossil fuels, and that the path forward lies in renewable energy, international cooperation and science-based action.
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