UN Climate Summit: 142 Nations Sign Historic Net-Zero Agreement

The United Nations Climate Summit concluded in Geneva with 142 nations signing a landmark agreement pledging to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2045, five years ahead of previous targets. The accord, hailed as the most ambitious climate deal in history, commits signatories to tripling renewable energy capacity, phasing out coal-fired power plants by 2035, and establishing a $500 billion annual climate finance fund to assist developing nations in their green transition.

Environmental groups and world leaders have cautiously welcomed the agreement, though activists argue that binding enforcement mechanisms remain weak and implementation timelines need tightening. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described the summit as a turning point, urging all signatory nations to translate promises into immediate legislative action, warning that every fraction of a degree of warming avoided will save thousands of lives and trillions of dollars in climate-related economic damage.