World 'sleepwalking' to climate catastrophe: UN chief

UN chief Antonio Guterres said on Monday the world is "sleepwalking to climate catastrophe", with major economies allowing carbon pollution to increase when drastic cuts are needed.

The planet-saving goal of capping global warming at 1.5 degrees Celsius is already "on life support," he told a sustainability conference in London.

Keeping 1.5C in play requires a 45% drop in emissions by 2030 and carbon neutrality by mid-century, according to the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

But even if nations honour newly revised pledges under the Paris Agreement, emissions are still set to rise 14% before the decade ends.

"The problem is getting worse," Mr. Guterres said in a pre-recorded video message. "We are sleepwalking to climate catastrophe."

"If we continue with more of the same, we can kiss 1.5C goodbye," he added. "Even two degrees may be out of reach."

His comments came only hours before the 195-nation IPCC kicks off a two-week meeting to validate a landmark report on options for reducing carbon pollution and extracting CO2 from the air.