On Thursday, the European Union’s climate agency said global surface air temperatures briefly rose by more than 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels earlier this month for the first time ever. That’s the maximum global temperature rise agreed to under the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement.

Here in New York, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said Thursday countries must immediately phase out the burning of coal, oil and gas, calling them incompatible with human survival. Guterres also accused fossil fuel companies of attempting to “knee-cap” progress on the climate crisis.

Secretary-General António Guterres: “Current policies are taking the world to a 2.8 degree temperature rise by the end of the century. That spells catastrophe. Yet the collective response remains pitiful. We are hurtling towards disaster, eyes wide open, with far too many willing it all on wishful thinking, unproven technologies and silver bullet solutions. It’s time to wake up and step up.”