The remarks by the secretary-general came after a virtual summit of world leaders to discuss planning ahead of the major COP30 climate meeting later this year in Brazil.

"Renewables are the economic opportunity of the century. Dissenters and fossil fuel interests may try to stand in the way. But as we heard today, the world is moving forward. Full-speed ahead," said Guterres after the meeting, co-organized with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Among the participants were China's Xi Jinping, France's Emmanuel Macron, Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Kenya's William Ruto and Chile's Gabriel Boric, as well as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa.

"It was among the most diverse meetings of heads of state focused exclusively on climate in some time. Yet I heard a unifying message" toward action, Guterres said.

Xi told the meeting that "no matter how the international situation changes, China's efforts to combat climate change will not slow down," according to state broadcaster CCTV.

Xi also said China would announce its 2035 greenhouse gas reduction commitments, known as Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), before COP30 in November, and that it would cover all greenhouse gases, not just carbon dioxide.