U.N. chief says there’s a bigger threat than coronavirus

Author:
Ryan Heath

NEW YORK — United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres will use a speech marking the 50th Earth Day on Wednesday to confront President Donald Trump and directly link coronavirus with climate change.

The stark language of Guterres’ prepared remarks, obtained by POLITICO, marks a new willingness by the U.N. chief to challenge the Trump administration, which recently halted funding to the World Health Organization, the U.N. health agency, and formally withdrew from the U.N.'s landmark 2015 Paris climate change agreement last year.

Guterres will push for an end to fossil fuel subsidies at a time when both oil companies and households are struggling to pay their bills. Trump committed Tuesday to bailing out the U.S. oil industry after crude oil futures prices dipped into negative territory for the first time in history.

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