By John Ikani
United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned that the world is in “great peril, and paralyzed.”
Guterres who issued the warning in his opening address to the 77th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA77), warned said nations were “gridlocked in colossal global dysfunction” and weren’t ready or willing to tackle the major challenges that threaten the future of humanity and the fate of the planet.
“Trust is crumbling, inequalities are exploding, our planet is burning. People are hurting, with the most vulnerable suffering the most,” he said.
“The United Nations charter and the ideals it represents are in jeopardy and we have a duty to act,” Guterres added.
The remarks come as Europe grapples with perhaps its biggest military conflict since World War II, which has uncovered fissures among major powers on how to deter Russia, support Ukraine and mitigate the consequences of war.
Russia’s war in Ukraine, which has lasted more than 200 days, has exacerbated a global food crisis already strained by climate challenges and disrupted supply chains. The conflict has taken the lives of more than 6,000 civilians and has reduced once industrious Ukrainian cities to rubble.
“Geopolitical divides are undermining the work of the Security Council, undermining international law, undermining trust and people’s faith in democratic institutions, undermining all forms of international cooperation,” Guterres told leaders seated in the vast green and gold-draped General Assembly Hall.
“We cannot go on like this,” he added.
The UN Chief reminded world leaders that the climate crisis also need attention, saying “polluters must pay.”
He urged rich countries to tax windfall profits of fossil fuel companies and use that money to help countries harmed by the climate crisis and people who are struggling with rising food and energy prices.
“The fossil fuel industry is feasting on hundreds of billions of dollars in subsidies and windfall profits while household budgets shrink and our planet burns,” he said.
He also spelled out where the money should be spent.
“Those funds should be redirected in two ways: to countries suffering loss and damage caused by the climate crisis; and to people struggling with rising food and energy prices.”
