Humans are as dangerous to Earth as the meteorite that drove dinosaurs to extinction, the UN chief said Wednesday, urging an end to fossil fuel ads after 12 months that were the hottest on record.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for a ban on advertising oil, gas and coal -- the main drivers of global warming -- as global climate monitors delivered a swathe of new findings signaling that the planet is in trouble. 'In the case of climate, we are not the dinosaurs. We are the meteor. We are not only in danger. We are the danger,' Guterres said.

Last month was the hottest May on record and the 12th consecutive month to break such a record, the EU climate monitor Copernicus announced. The global average temperature between June 2023 and May 2024 was '1.63 degrees Celsius above the 1850-1900 pre-industrial average', Copernicus said, referring to the period before human-caused greenhouse gas emissions began warming the planet.

Although El Niño is dissipating, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) announced humanity faces an 80 percent chance Earth's temperatures will at least temporarily exceed 1.5°C during the next five years.

'Global emissions need to fall nine percent every year to 2030 to keep the 1.5 degree limit alive,' Guterres said. He emphasized that while peaks in temperature have not been officially breached as they are measured over a period of decades, the world agreed during the last COP28 talks in Dubai to phase out fossil fuels, yet a decline in emissions is not imminent.

'The Godfathers of climate chaos -- the fossil fuel industry -- rake in record profits and feast off trillions in taxpayer-funded subsidies,' Guterres remarked, likening fossil fuel ads to harmful products like tobacco and urging countries to ban them. He also called for taxing fossil fuel industry profits to combat global warming, with particular emphasis on solidarity levies on industries such as shipping, aviation, and fossil fuel extraction.

Guterres expressed his concerns amidst global wars and conflicts that the climate crisis could become 'a victim of a diversion of attention'. Despite these pressing issues, he insisted that climate change remains the existential threat of all times for humankind. His speech coincides with critical climate talks in Bonn, Germany to lay the groundwork for the UN COP29 summit in Azerbaijan in November.

The stark warnings from UN Secretary-General Guterres cut through the noise of the current global climate discourse. The metaphor of humanity as a destructive force akin to the meteorite that once wiped out dinosaurs is a grim reminder of the urgent need for climate action. The alarming statistics from the EU's Copernicus regarding the unprecedented series of hottest months on record establishes a pattern of persistent and escalating global warming.

Climate scientists and environmentalists have echoed Guterres's sentiments, insisting that the time for debate is over and immediate action is necessary. These warming patterns have been unequivocally linked to human activities, particularly the burning of fossil fuels, which release massive amounts of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. These gases trap heat, leading to the greenhouse effect that is now warming the planet at dangerous rates.

Guterres's proposition to ban fossil fuel advertising is not without precedent. Similar bans on tobacco advertising were implemented after the health risks became apparent, leading to significant reductions in smoking rates in many countries. The push to apply such measures to the fossil fuel industry reflects growing acknowledgment that the climate crisis, much like the public health crisis posed by smoking, demands bold and unambiguous policy interventions.

Guterres' advocacy for taxing the profits of the fossil fuel industry dovetails with wider calls for corporations to take greater responsibility for their environmental impact. The suggestion of solidarity levies on industries such as shipping, aviation, and fossil fuel extraction is grounded in the principle that those who contribute most to the problem should be instrumental in funding solutions. This is in line with the polluter-pays principle, which has gained traction within environmental policy frameworks.

As the global community reels from the repercussions of wars and conflicts, Guterres warned that the climate crisis runs the risk of being sidelined. However, he maintained that this should not be the case, given its potential to exacerbate food insecurity, water scarcity, and displacement of populations, further worsening global stability. His statements underscore the interconnectedness of climate change with other security and developmental challenges facing the world today.

The upcoming UN COP29 summit in Azerbaijan will be a litmus test for the international community's resolve to address the climate crisis. The preparatory talks in Bonn represent a critical opportunity for nations to hammer out the details of robust and actionable commitments. It is anticipated that there will be increased pressure on governments to translate the promises made during COP28 into tangible actions, with particular scrutiny on measures to cut emissions and phase out the use of fossil fuels.

Activist groups and civil society organizations have rallied around Guterres's speech, using it to galvanize the public and apply pressure on political leaders. Social media campaigns and public demonstrations aligned with the UN chief's call to end fossil fuel ads have gained momentum, signalling a grassroots backing for decisive climate policies. As global temperatures continue to soar, the argument posited by Guterres and echoed by the larger international community grows ever more pressing: to avert the worst of climate change, humanity must fundamentally overhaul its relationship with the planet and its resources.