In Davos, Guterres criticized the backsliding on climate commitments
Mr. Guterres has talking at the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum, the exclusive event held in the Swiss Alps where senior politicians, Heads of State and CEOs of some of the largest and most influential companies The world’s most influential side by side.
The UN Secretary General aimed at the theme of this year’s meeting, Collaboration for the smart ageasserts that there is little evidence of cooperation or intelligence and plenty of evidence that many of the world’s problems are getting worse, from conflict to inequality and human rights abuses.
Nuclear war is no longer the only existential threat to humanity, he said, pointing to the climate crisis and the “unmanaged expansion” of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
‘Addicted to fossil fuels’
Comparing fossil fuel addiction to a Frankenstein monster – “sparing no one and sparing no one” – the Secretary-General noted the irony that 13 of the world’s largest ports are dedicated to super-carriers. Oil is about to be overwhelmed by rising sea levels, a consequence of rising temperatures and sea levels. melting ice, mainly due to burning coal, crude oil and natural gas.
Some financial institutions and industries are going against their climate commitments, Mr. Guterres noted.
A move he said was “short-sighted, and paradoxically, selfish and also self-defeating. You are on the wrong side of history. You are going about the wrong science. And you are on the wrong side of consumers who are looking for more sustainability, not less.”
Looking ahead to the United Nations Climate Conference (COP30) in Brazil later this year, the UN chief reminded world leaders that they must keep their promises to release climate action plans. new economy-wide post-nationals before this event.
Developing countries need “increased financing” for climate action, he declared, calling on not just governments but all businesses and financial institutions to create transition plans. change strongly and responsibly.
The untold promise of AI
The next existential threat, AI, is a double-edged sword, Mr. Guterres continued, as it is revolutionizing learning, diagnosing diseases, helping farmers increase productivity and improving aid targeting.
But it comes with profound risks if not managed: it could disrupt the economy, undermine trust in institutions and deepen inequality, the Secretary-General warned.
The Global Digital Compact – part of the Compact for the Future adopted by UN Member States last September – sets out “a roadmap for harnessing the enormous potential of digital technology and closing the digital divide” with a shared vision of AI serving humanity and not the other way around.
Despite the challenges, the United Nations will never stop demanding grassroots-based peace UN Charter“international law and the principles of sovereignty, political independence and territorial integrity of states,” he said.
Institutional reform, from the global financial architecture to the United Nations Security CouncilThe UN chief affirmed that this is necessary because governance systems are often not fully equipped to deal with today’s challenges. But achieving these essential changes – which world leaders committed to last September Future Summit – will only be possible if there is political will, he said, warning: “I don’t believe the leaders understand it.”
The Secretary-General concluded his speech by returning to the theme of this year’s Davos event, calling on the global community to face these existential challenges and join hands.
