The Short Answer: Absolutely Not.
The claim that the United Nations stated "there is no climate crisis" is completely false. In reality, the UN and its scientific bodies have consistently stated the exact opposite. The UN officially recognizes climate change as an existential threat to humanity, referring to it as a "global climate emergency" and a "code red for humanity."
What the UN *Actually* Says
To understand the UN's position, we must look at two primary sources: the statements of its leadership and the scientific consensus of its climate panel, the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change).
"The alarm bells are deafening, and the evidence is irrefutable: greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel burning and deforestation are choking our planet and putting billions of people at immediate risk."
— António Guterres, UN Secretary-General (August 2021)
The IPCC Reports
The IPCC is the United Nations body responsible for assessing the science related to climate change. Their latest comprehensive assessments are unequivocal. In their Sixth Assessment Report, they concluded that:
- It is unequivocal that human influence has warmed the atmosphere, ocean, and land.
- Widespread and rapid changes in the atmosphere, ocean, cryosphere, and biosphere have occurred.
- Global surface temperature will continue to increase until at least mid-century under all emissions scenarios considered.
Where Did the Myth Come From?
If the UN's stance is so clear, why do posts circulate claiming otherwise? Misinformation typically stems from a few specific sources being mistakenly—or deliberately—conflated with the United Nations:
- The "World Climate Declaration": A prominent online document titled "There is no climate emergency" was organized by a group called CLINTEL (Climate Intelligence). It features signatures from various professionals, many of whom are not climate scientists. Crucially, this group has zero affiliation with the United Nations. However, it is frequently shared on social media with misleading captions implying it is a UN document.
- Independent Scientists speaking at UN venues: The UN hosts thousands of conferences. Sometimes, independent researchers or lobbyists who do not believe in a climate crisis may speak at open-forum UN events. Their personal quotes are sometimes extracted and falsely presented as "The UN's official stance."
Verify the Evidence Yourself
Don't just take our word for it. Here are direct links to the official United Nations and IPCC repositories outlining their data, views, and declarations regarding the climate crisis.
UN: What is Climate Change?
The official UN primer on the science, impacts, and urgency of the climate crisis.
UN Press Release: "Code Red"
Secretary-General's statement on the release of the IPCC Working Group 1 Report.
The IPCC Official Website
Access the full scientific reports generated by thousands of global scientists for the UN.
UN Environment Programme
Details the UN's active programs designed to combat the ongoing climate emergency.