The forest fires and heat waves that southern Europe and North America are experiencing demonstrate that there is no possible choice regarding the climate emergency. "Collective action or collective suicide. It's in our hands," UN Secretary-General António Guterres told 40 ministers gathered at the Petersberg Climate Dialogue in Berlin.

According to "The Guardian", quoted by the newspaper Económico, the Portuguese warned that "half of humanity is in the danger zone, from floods, droughts, extreme storms and forest fires. No nation is immune. Yet we continue to feed our addiction to fossil fuels."

Also in South America Machu Picchu has been threatened by fire, and in recent months heat records have been broken across the globe, notably in the poles, India and South Asia, and droughts have devastated parts of Africa.

Guterres also criticized the "multilateral development banks" such as the World Bank - which are funded by taxpayers in developed countries to provide assistance to poorer countries - as inadequate to provide the necessary financing for the climate crisis. Thus, he called for their reform.

"As shareholders of multilateral development banks, developed countries must demand immediate delivery of the investments and assistance needed to expand renewable energy and build climate resilience in developing countries. Demand that these banks become adequate. Demand that they change their tired structures and policies to take more risks... Let's show developing countries that they can trust their partners," he said.