“Humanity has opened the gates of hell“With these emphatic words he began Antonio Guterres, Secretary General of the UN, his speech this Wednesday at the climate summit in New York. The senior official wanted to make it clear that climate inaction is already leaving direct consequences in our lives.

This summer has been the hottest in history, with temperatures never seen before in several countries. In Italy, for example, temperatures have reached close to 49ºC.

They also increase the extreme weather events. Only in the first days of this month there have been eight around the world: we have seen floods in Libya, Spain and in the Nevada desert, in the United States. All linked to global warming.

Guterres urges world leaders to act to prevent what he says is already a climate catastrophe. “My exhortation to world leaders will be expensive: nor is it time for indifference or indecision“explained Guterres.

Just yesterday we had an example of the lack of political will to fight climate change. The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Rishi Sunak, defended his position of continuing to sell polluting cars. “You will still be able to buy petrol and diesel cars and vans until 2035.” The British Prime Minister is reversing the emissions reduction strategy although the courts have already condemned the French State for its inaction and compliance with the Paris Agreements is behind schedule.

In addition, Guterres has blamed the oil companies. He has assured that there are companies that are slowing down the ecological transition: “Some companies have even tried to block the transition to carbon neutrality, using their wealth and influence to delay, divert and deceive.”

Guterres is referring to large fossil fuel companies, the same oil companies that the state of California has sued for their responsibility in climate change.