Guterres pleads with world leaders: Don't drown the world
At a news conference on Wednesday, Guterres said he would address the planet's many challenges head-on in next week's speech at the General Assembly, with concrete proposals for lasting solutions and a call for action.
The Secretary-General began by referring to the devastation he witnessed during his recent visit to flood-stricken Pakistan, which he described as a window into a "future that has long been in climatic chaos on an unimaginable scale".
Guterres, from Portugal, noted that the floods covered an area three times the size of his home country.
In his usual strong language, he slammed the global response to the climate crisis as insufficient, essentially betrayal and injustice. "Whether it's Pakistan, the Horn of Africa, the Sahel, the small islands or the least developed countries, the world's most vulnerable people are not creating the climate crisis, but are paying horribly for decades of stubborn stance by big emitters," he said. price."
G20 must take the lead
Guterres reminded leaders of the world's richest countries that their countries are responsible for the vast majority of climate-related emissions, and that while they are also severely affected by record droughts, fires and floods, tackling climate change The actions seem to be just surviving.
He asked sharply whether people would have reacted differently had one-third of the G20 countries been submerged in floodwaters instead of Pakistan.
Guterres told reporters in New York that in order to keep global temperature rise below 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, all countries need to cut emissions every year, and the G20 countries must take the lead.
He insisted that Pakistan and other climate hotspots now need flood-resistant infrastructure and that at least half of climate finance should go towards adaptation and resilience. And those funds have to come from major economies.
He stressed, “Slow down the climate now. Save the world today from flooding, and keep the world from flooding in the future.
Multiple famine risks
The United Nations has applauded the successful implementation of the Black Sea Grains Initiative, which enabled grain and fertilizer products to finally be shipped from war-torn Ukrainian ports, and played a role in lowering global food prices as, following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Global food prices have reached an all-time high.
However, Guterres warned that there is still a risk of multiple famines this year.
He said the number of hungry people around the world was already on the rise before the pandemic, and the numbers have never come back. Many countries are grappling with a cost-of-living crisis that hits the poorest people and communities hardest, and the rights of women and girls around the world are being rolled back.
The Secretary-General noted that in a situation of high geopolitical tension, failure to act to stop the climate crisis will have serious knock-on effects, such as mass migration and increased instability.
Guterres slammed the actions of populist politicians who, he said, "show an alarming disregard for the poorest and most vulnerable in our world", pit people against each other and abuse discrimination, misinformation and hatred speech.
He concluded: "This year's general debate must bring hope. Such hope can only be achieved through dialogue and debate, which is the beating heart of the United Nations"
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