(ANSA) - TRIESTE, 03 DIC - "Even as we witness devastating climate impacts causing havoc across the world, we are still not doing enough, nor moving fast enough, to prevent irreversible and catastrophic climate disruption," U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said at the opening of the climate summit 'COP24' in Katowice, Poland, where almost 200 countries are represented.

Guterres urged countries around the world to cut emissions in order to keep global warming within the Paris accord limits. The UN secretary general also invited the political leaders to take seriously the threat of global warming and act to avert a catastrophic rise in temperatures before the end of this century.

Guterres urged countries to cut their emissions by 45 per cent from 2010 levels by 2030 and aim for net zero emissions by 2050. Experts say this is the only way to achieve to avoid global temperatures rise beyond 1.5-degree. This requires, however, a radical overhaul of the global economy. (ANSA).