UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Wednesday called on countries to move away from fossil fuels, and implement timelines for doing so. Citing the impending climate catastrophe, Guterres pointed out that fossil fuel companies are raking in record profits “while everyday people foot the bill.”

The remarks come amid High-Level Week at the UN Headquarters in New York City. There, the UN Climate Summit, consisting of leaders from government, business, finance, and other various sectors, convened to discuss “how to turn existing climate commitments into faster, stronger action.” In his opening remarks, Guterres called attention to El Niño, the 1.5 degree celsius limit, and unbounded fossil fuel expansion.

On the flip side, Guterres celebrated the fact that clean energy continues to grow: “Clean energy has gone from alternative to unstoppable.” He expressed hope, particularly regarding recent initiatives, including the Global Grids Accelerator in parts of Africa and Southeast Asia, the Task Force on Critical Energy Transition Minerals in parts of Africa, and Early Warnings for All, a global project designed to ensure that people are protected from hazardous weather and other climate-related emergencies.

Guterres said that at least $300 billion per year must be mobilized “for developing countries, with developed countries taking the lead, and for overall climate finance to reach $1.3 trillion annually by 2035.”

The UN General Assembly recently adopted a resolution that urged states to combat climate change. However, various parts of the globe are still suffering from dire climate events, including extreme heat, threats to electricity due to Artificial Intelligence (AI) data center growth, and floods across the Himalayas.

Guterres said the UN Climate Summit produced a key takeaway: “Climate change is no longer a future threat but a present reality, demanding urgent action on multiple fronts.”