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United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres used what campaigners described as his final major climate address to renew calls for fossil-fuel companies to be held financially accountable for climate damage, declaring that "polluters must pay" as activists delivered more than two million petition signatures to the UN demanding action.

Speaking during the final months of his second term as UN chief, Guterres said those most responsible for greenhouse gas emissions should bear a greater share of the cost of addressing the climate crisis.

"Those who polluted the most – and profited the most – must do far more to repair the damage they caused. Polluters must pay," Guterres said. "And to the leaders, cities, civil society and citizens working to hold them accountable: you are on the right side of history. Keep going."

The remarks came a day after members of the Make Polluters Pay International coalition presented petitions carrying more than two million signatures to the United Nations in New York, calling on governments to require fossil-fuel companies to help fund climate adaptation, recovery and loss-and-damage efforts.

The coalition, which includes environmental and development groups such as Greenpeace International, 350.org, Fossil Free Media and Oxfam International, argues that oil, gas and coal companies should contribute financially to the costs associated with worsening climate-related disasters.

Campaigners say the initiative has gained momentum amid growing public concern over extreme weather events, rising energy costs and the widening financial burden of climate change on governments and communities.

Throughout his tenure, Guterres has emerged as one of the most outspoken international advocates for stronger action against climate change and has repeatedly criticised the fossil-fuel industry. He has previously backed windfall taxes on oil and gas profits, endorsed international climate-finance levies and urged governments to accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels.

Activists said the Secretary-General's latest comments demonstrate how far the debate over financial accountability for climate damage has advanced.

"When the UN Secretary-General calls for fossil-fuel companies to pay, you know this demand has become impossible to ignore," said Louise Hutchins, co-convenor of the Make Polluters Pay International Coalition. "Millions of people around the world are calling for it, and governments are starting to listen."

The coalition is urging governments to introduce measures such as climate-damage taxes, permanent surtaxes on fossil-fuel profits and fines on major emitters, with revenue directed towards climate adaptation, disaster recovery and support for vulnerable communities.

Anne Jellema, Executive Director of 350.org, said public frustration has intensified as climate-related disasters become more frequent while energy companies continue to report large profits.

"We have watched homes burn, communities flood, and families struggle with the costs of climate and energy crises, while fossil-fuel companies continue to make extraordinary profits," she said. "We pay. They profit. It's time to change that."

Greenpeace International Executive Director Mads Christensen argued that governments should align taxation and spending policies with climate goals to create incentives for investment in renewable energy while discouraging continued reliance on fossil fuels.

Oxfam International Executive Director Amitabh Behar described the campaign as a matter of climate justice, saying those least responsible for global warming often bear its severest consequences.

"The people who have contributed least to the climate crisis are paying the highest price," Behar said. "The call to make rich polluters pay is about justice."

The campaign unfolds as world leaders gather in New York for high-level discussions on global security, economic stability and development. Activists argue that climate change and fossil-fuel dependence are increasingly intertwined with those challenges, exposing economies to both environmental shocks and volatile energy markets.

Guterres' term as Secretary-General ends on 31 December 2026. With the United Nations already conducting the process to select his successor, campaigners said they hope the next UN chief will continue pressing governments to hold major polluters accountable and expand efforts to finance climate adaptation and clean-energy transitions worldwide.