UN chief at BRICS summit: 'Our environment is under attack on all fronts'

"Our environment is under attack on all fronts. Pollution is poisoning the land and water. Biodiversity is being destroyed at an alarming rate. And of course, we are in the midst of a climate crisis," he said.

The effects are already being felt around the world, he said: “Lives and livelihoods are being destroyed and gains in sustainable development are being reversed as disasters become more frequent.”

The Secretary-General also highlighted the devastating impact of the climate crisis on health, from deadly heat and water pollution to famine caused by crop destruction. He recalled that climate change contributes to the spread of diseases, including malaria and dengue fever. The UN chief called for efforts to focus on the relationship between climate and health.