"Climate breakdown has begun": UN Secretary-General warns after August becomes hottest month ever recorded in history

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned that "climate breakdown has begun".

The UN chief released a strongly worded statement on a record summer of global warming in the Northern Hemisphere, according to the European Union's climate service Copernicus and the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), Xinhua news agency reported.

"The dog days of summer are not just barking, they are biting," the Secretary-General said on Wednesday, adding that "our planet has just endured a season of simmering — the hottest summer on record. Climate breakdown has begun".

The top UN official said that "scientists have long warned what our fossil fuel addiction will unleash".

"Our climate is imploding faster than we can cope with extreme weather events hitting every corner of the planet. Surging temperatures demand a surge in action," said the Secretary-General.

Guterres called on leaders to "turn up the heat now for climate solutions".

"We can still avoid the worst of climate chaos — and we don't have a moment to lose," he added.

Earth has sweltered through its hottest Northern Hemisphere summer ever measured, with a record warm August capping a season of brutal and deadly temperatures, according to the WMO.

Last month was not only the hottest August scientists ever recorded by far with modern equipment, it was also the second-hottest month measured, behind only July 2023, WMO and Copernicus announced on Wednesday.