The fossil fuel industry has been accused of “making a killing” as the planet dies as world leaders gathered to tackle climate change at the COP31 summit in Turkey.

United National Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the “brutal truth” is that the climate crisis was “outrunning us” as emissions reached an all-time high in 2025.

“Heat records keep shattering. The last four years were the hottest ever, and ‌fossil fuel interests keep making a killing while killing our planet,” he said.

“Climate disasters are pounding lives, livelihoods and economies across the globe. This is the path to mutually assured destruction.”

His call came months after the UN warned the world was on track to surpass 1.5C of warming within a few years and should act to limit the severity and duration of the overshoot.

Greater investments in renewable energy including solar power could help nations move away from coal, oil and gas, Guterres said.

“Fossil fuels must go the way of the dinosaurs but that will not happen on its own,” he said.

“The dinosaurs did not have a lobby, but fossil fuels do.

“It’s time to kick the habit and end the fossil-fuel addiction.”

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese urged world leaders to extend a lifeline to Pacific nations under threat from rising sea levels and extreme weather.

Albanese issued the call to action on Wednesday at the opening of the two-day World Leaders Climate Action Summit segment of the United Nations event.

Australia will lead negotiations at the annual climate talks and Albanese said it would use the opportunity to highlight the plight of its regional neighbours.

“We sought this role because we wanted to speak for the people of the world who need urgent action, including those from our Pacific family,” he said.

“Their brave, resourceful people need us to act and they’re pleading for us to do so, politely but with absolute clarity.”

Albanese cited the plea of aspiring doctor, 13-year-old Melelusi Sokotia from Tuvalu, who told leaders at the Pre-COP event that she and her peers wanted to remain safe in their island nation.

He also called for nations to support the Pacific Resilience Facility, launched in 2025, designed to raise $US500 million ($726 million) for climate change and adaption projects.

“I plead with you to join our campaign to help the nations of the Pacific to confront a climate challenge that they certainly did not create,” he said.

The high-level leaders’ summit will feature addresses from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and recently re-elected Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

More than 92,000 people have registered to attend the summit in Antalya, which could be the largest COP to date.

-with AAP