The UN chief warned that on climate change and Covid-19, the world is moving is wrong direction. While speaking ahead the UN General Assembly session that is expected to commence on Sept 21, Antonio Guterres expressed great concern over the fact that world has lost a cohesive and steady direction on climate change and Covid-19. The exhorted nations, he appeals, should take urgent action to fight these two non-traditional security threat which are surpassing nations’ economic resources and energies.
Covid-19 is a wake-up call, UN chief
“Covid-19 is a wake-up call, and we are oversleeping,” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said at a press conference.
He lamented that vaccine-manufacturing nations have been unable to ramp up production toward the goal of vaccinating some 70 percent of the world population by the first half of 2022.
“The pandemic has demonstrated our collective failure to come together and make joint decisions for the common good, even in the face of an immediate, life-threatening global emergency,” Guterres said.
Read more: Did climate change cause Covid-19?
UN chief urges not to delay COP26 conference
Guterres dismissed calls to delay a major UN climate summit, known as COP26, due to take place in Scotland in November. Climate activists have called for postponing the event due to vaccine inequality, the raging Covid pandemic and logistical difficulties in organizing the event. He urges to build momentum on this important conference which he claims is extremely important to attain a consensus on cohesive strategy to fight climate change
“To delay the COP is not a good thing,” Guterres said. “Delays have been so many and the issue is so urgent.”
Guterres urged the United States and China, the world’s two biggest polluters, to do more to combat climate change.
“We need a stronger engagement of the US, namely in financing for development, for climate-related development issues, mitigation, adaptation, and we need an additional effort from China in relation to emissions,” Guterres said.
By highlighting worry over the fact that US and China, the worlds largest producers, manufacturers and economic powers are not taking climate change seriously, he concluded that the world without proper leadership and staunch narrative on Covid-19 and climate change will open doors for annihilation.
Read more: The cacophony of climate change, peace and security-Sadaf Akbar & Maha Kamal