UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned on Friday that the world is "heading in the wrong direction," urging countries to take urgent action to combat COVID-19 and climate change. In a press conference, he stated that COVID-19 serves as "a wake-up call while we are in a deep sleep."
In his address before the General Assembly meetings starting in New York on September 21, Guterres expressed regret that vaccine-producing countries have not been able to ramp up production to meet the goal of vaccinating around 70% of the world's population by mid-2022. He added, "The pandemic has shown our collective failure to cooperate and make joint decisions for the common good, even in the face of an immediate global emergency that threatens our lives."
Guterres rejected calls to postpone the UN's main climate summit, known as COP26, scheduled to take place in Scotland in November. Climate activists had called for delaying the summit due to inequities in vaccine distribution, the ongoing COVID pandemic, and logistical challenges in organizing the event. Guterres remarked, "Postponing COP is not a good idea," adding, "There have been several postponements. The issue is extremely urgent."
He urged the United States and China to make greater efforts to combat climate change, saying, "We need stronger participation from the United States, particularly in financing climate-related development issues... We also need additional efforts from China regarding emission reductions." He acknowledged that there are issues in US-China relations, but emphasized that these problems should not interfere with the need for both countries to do their utmost to ensure the success of COP26.
On September 21, the eve of the General Assembly, Guterres is organizing a closed climate summit with around forty participants to mobilize efforts as COP26 approaches. He pointed out, "The choices we make, or do not make today, could lead to either another standstill or a breakthrough toward a greener, better, and safer future."
Guterres stressed that "the time has come to restore global solidarity and find new ways to work together for the common good," highlighting the importance of creating an emergency platform in the event of a new global crisis, establishing a UN envoy for future generations, or holding a "Global Summit on the Future" in 2023. He noted that the outcomes of this summit "could address issues such as comprehensive social protection, universal health coverage, adequate housing, and decent work, within a fairer and more united global economy," making such initiatives "feasible everywhere."
He stated, "It is time to think long-term, to give more to the youth and future generations." Guterres reiterated his calls for a "global vaccination plan" to tackle COVID-19, emphasizing the need for "urgent and bold actions to address the triple crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution destroying the planet." However, his calls have not yet found receptive ears.
