RRI.CO.ID, Addis Ababa — Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, said developed countries must fulfill their commitments by providing funding of US$1.3 trillion per year through 2035 for developing countries to address climate change adaptation.

“And that requires developed countries tripling adaptation finance and mobilizing the US$1.3 trillion a year for developing countries by 2035,” Guterres said at the opening session of the 39th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union, Sunday, 15 February 2026, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Guterres emphasized that the urgency of strengthening water and sanitation systems is becoming increasingly evident amid rising global temperatures. He noted that scientific evidence shows the planet is likely to exceed the 1.5°C limit, making collective action necessary to minimize the impacts.

“Your team highlights the urgency of releasing water and sanitation systems in a warming planet. Science is unequivocal. The planet will overshoot the 1.5°C limit,” he conveyed.

Guterres said members of the G20, which account for nearly 80 percent of global emissions, must make significant emission reductions this decade. Meanwhile, Africa, with around 60 percent of the world’s best solar potential, has the opportunity to become a global clean energy hub.

Guterres highlighted the lack of clean energy investment in Africa and stressed that climate adaptation must be prioritized through increased financing and an accelerated energy transition.