---
title: "UN Chief Calls Fossil Fuel Subsidies 'Suicide' Amid COP17 in Yerevan"
description: "UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged governments to end fossil fuel subsidies, calling them 'suicide,' amid COP17 in Yerevan and the world's deviation from 2030 biodiversity targets."
date: 2026-10-20T01:06:10.931Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/un-chief-fossil-fuel-subsidies-cop17-yerevan
tags: [un, cop17, fossil-fuel-subsidies, biodiversity, climate-change, yerevan, renewable-energy]
author: "Marina Slivenko"
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# UN Chief Calls Fossil Fuel Subsidies 'Suicide' Amid COP17 in Yerevan

![Caricature: giant industrial saw with smokestacks cutting through an iceberg in the ocean](https://xab.info/media/2026/10/20/guterrish-protiv-subsidii-iskopaemoe-toplivo-cop17-yerevan/guterrish-protiv-subsidii-iskopaemoe-toplivo-cop17-yerevan-1.webp)

## Key Points

- UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged an end to fossil fuel subsidies, calling such payments 'suicide'
- According to the UN, about $2.6 trillion is spent on environmentally degrading activities—30 times more than on nature protection and restoration
- COP17 is held in Yerevan from October 19–30, 2026, with the central issue of negotiations being insufficient financing for conservation measures
- According to Guterres's October 15, 2026 report, the world has deviated from the trajectory toward 2030 biodiversity targets
- IRENA records renewables milestones, but WRI notes this is not enough to reduce the share of fossil fuels amid rising global demand

Ahead of and during the opening days of the 17th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP17), taking place in Yerevan, Armenia, from October 19 to 30, 2026, UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged governments to end fossil fuel subsidies. According to him, such incentives remain a key driver fueling global warming and the destruction of biodiversity. Speaking to leaders at a recent climate event, the UN chief stated that states, particularly developed nations, are still "investing in the wrong things," directing significant funds to support fossil fuel exploitation.

### 'Fossil Fuel Subsidies Are Suicide'

Guterres did not mince words: calling fossil fuel subsidies "suicide," he urged governments worldwide to completely phase out these payments and redirect resources toward clean energy—"for the good of humanity and the planet." This call comes against the backdrop of negligible progress since commitments were made in 2022 to cut public spending on environmentally damaging activities, including mining, fossil fuels, and intensive agriculture.

### A 30-Fold Gap: What UN Statistics Show

The scale of the problem is illustrated by figures provided by the UN: countries spend approximately $2.6 trillion on environmentally degrading activities, whereas the amount allocated for nature protection or restoration is 30 times smaller. It is this imbalance, according to the Secretary-General, that makes fulfilling collective commitments impossible and turns continued investments in fossil fuels into "an investment contradicting humanity's collective efforts" amid the escalating need to combat climate change.

### COP17 in Yerevan: Financing at the Top of the Agenda

In Yerevan, representatives from nearly 200 countries have gathered from October 19 to 30, 2026, to conduct UN biodiversity negotiations. At the center of the discussion is the issue of insufficient financing for conservation measures. The context for the debate was a report published by Guterres on October 15, indicating that the world has deviated from its path toward achieving the 2030 biodiversity targets enshrined in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework adopted in December 2022.

### Renewable Energy Records and Their Limits

At the same time, there is positive momentum: the world is setting records in renewable energy usage. According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), global renewable power generation capacity will peak in 2025. However, as noted by David Waskow, Director of the International Climate Initiative at the World Resources Institute (WRI), the growth of renewables is still insufficient to cut fossil fuel use, as global energy demand continues to rise, partly due to the impacts of conflicts. Thus, even with record-breaking green generation figures, the dependence on fossil fuels remains, which is why the UN call to eliminate subsidies takes on particular urgency on the margins of COP17.

## Fact-Check & Sources

- [Инвестиции, идущие против течения](https://www.vietnam.vn/ru/khoan-dau-tu-nguoc-chieu) - Primary source: UN Secretary-General's statement on ending fossil fuel subsidies, UN data on $2.6 trillion, COP17 dates in Yerevan (Oct 19–30), Oct 15 report, IRENA and WRI (D. Waskow) assessments.

## FAQ

### What specifically did the UN Secretary-General call for?

António Guterres urged governments worldwide to completely end fossil fuel subsidies and redirect resources to clean energy.

### When and where is COP17 taking place?

The 17th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity is taking place in Yerevan, Armenia, from October 19 to 30, 2026, with representatives from nearly 200 countries.

### What is the key figure from UN data?

Countries spend approximately $2.6 trillion on activities that degrade the environment, which is 30 times higher than the amount spent on protecting or restoring nature.

### Has the world deviated from biodiversity targets?

Yes. According to a report published by Guterres on October 15, 2026, the world has deviated from the intended path toward achieving the 2030 biodiversity targets under the Kunming-Montreal Framework.