Guterres was speaking at the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting. Held high in the Swiss Alps, the World Economic Forum is a special event that brings together senior politicians, heads of state and CEOs of the world’s largest and most influential companies.
The UN Secretary-General took aim at this year’s conference theme, “Cooperation for the Age of Intelligence,” saying that evidence of cooperation and intelligence is scant and that many of the world’s problems, from conflict to inequality, are worsening. He argued that there is a lot of evidence that there is. and attacks on human rights.
He said nuclear war was no longer the only existential threat to humanity, pointing to the climate crisis and the “spreading of artificial intelligence” (AI).
“Fossil fuel addiction”
The Secretary-General likened fossil fuel addiction to Frankenstein’s monster, which “spares nothing”, saying 13 of the world’s biggest ports for super-tankers are being overwhelmed by rising sea levels as a result of rising temperatures and seas. He pointed out the irony of what was about to happen. Ice melting is primarily caused by the combustion of coal, crude oil, and natural gas.
Guterres said many financial institutions and industries are backtracking on climate change efforts.
Such behavior is “myopic, paradoxical, but also self-defeating and self-defeating. You’re on the wrong side of history. You’re on the wrong side of science. And… For consumers who want more sustainability, not less, you are on the wrong side.”
Looking ahead to the United Nations Climate Conference (COP30) to be held in Brazil at the end of the year, the UN Secretary-General has urged world leaders to keep his promise to develop new economic-scale national climate action plans well in advance of the conference. It reminded me of what I must do.
He declared that developing countries needed a “surge in financing” to fight climate change, and urged governments, as well as all businesses and financial institutions, to develop strong and responsible transition plans. .
The hidden promise of AI
The next existential threat, AI, is a double-edged sword, as AI is already revolutionizing learning, diagnosing disease, helping farmers increase yields, and improving the targeting of aid. continued.
However, if left unregulated, this poses serious risks. The Secretary-General warned that it could disrupt the economy, undermine trust in institutions and deepen inequality.
The Global Digital Compact, part of the Pact for the Future adopted by United Nations member states in September last year, sets out a shared vision for how AI can benefit humanity, and aims to “encourage the immense potential of digital technologies.” We present a roadmap for harnessing the power of gender and eliminating the digital divide. around it.
Despite the challenges, the United Nations will never stop calling for peace, based on the Charter of the United Nations, international law and the principles of sovereignty, political independence and territorial integrity of States, he said.
The UN Secretary-General says that institutions from the global financial architecture to the UN Security Council need to be reformed because governance systems are often ill-equipped to meet today’s challenges. he claimed. But achieving these essential changes, which world leaders promised at last September’s Future Summit, will only be possible with political will, he said, adding: I’m not convinced,” he warned.
The Secretary-General concluded his remarks by returning to the theme of this year’s Davos Conference and appealing to the international community to face these existential challenges head-on and work together as one.
