Not enough is being done to bring down global warming, time running out: United Nations

The average global temperature is already 1°C above pre-industrial levels but if not enough is done then warming will continue at an unsustainable pace and could well exceed 3°C by the end of the century, the UN said.

While there are positive steps in terms of individual countries developing climate plans and increase in the amount of money to finance those activities, Guterres said "far more ambitious plans and accelerated action is needed" on climate mitigation and adaptation.

Liu Zhenmin, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs said the clock for taking decisive actions on climate change is ticking, stressing the importance of strengthening international cooperation and multilateral action to confront the monumental global challenges.

"The challenges highlighted in this report are global problems that require global solutions. Just as problems are interrelated, the solutions to poverty, inequality, climate change and other global challenges are also interlinked," Liu said.

The UN will host the SDGs and Climate Action Summits as well as other crucial meetings during the high-level week of the 74th Session of the General Assembly in September, to reenergise the world leaders and the global community, get the world back on track and kick-start a decade of delivery for people and planet.

Major progress has been made in improving the health of millions of people, increasing life expectancy, reducing maternal and child mortality, and the fight against the most dangerous communicable diseases.

Despite those improvements, an estimated 303,000 women around the world died due to complications of pregnancy and childbirth in 2015, the majority in sub-Saharan Africa, the report said.

The UN Secretary-General said "there is simply no way that we can achieve the 17 SDGs without achieving gender equality and empowering women and girls".