‘Grotesque greed’: immoral fossil fuel profits must be taxed, says UN chief

Antonio Guterres urges governments to introduce windfall levies and use money to support vulnerable people

The UN secretary general, Antonio Guterres, has described the record profits of oil and gas companies as immoral and urged governments to introduce a windfall tax, using the money to help those in the most need.

Speaking in New York on Wednesday, Guterres said the grotesque greed" of the fossil fuel companies and their financial backers had led to the combined profits of the largest energy companies in the first quarter of this year hitting almost $100bn (82bn).