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Add to Preferred SourcesThe start of the New Year finds the world facing four looming threats to human progress: surging geopolitical tensions, the climate crisis, global mistrust and the downsides of technology, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said.
In a wide-ranging speech to the General Assembly, the UN chief outlined strategies to address what he called the “four horsemen in our midst”, and he urged countries to take advantage of the UN’s 75th anniversary year to secure a peaceful future for all people.
“These four horsemen…can jeopardize every aspect of our shared future. That is why commemorating the 75th anniversary with nice speeches won’t do. We must address these four 21st-century challenges with four 21st-century solutions,” Mr. Guterres warned.
For the Secretary-General, global tensions are at their highest level in years, making the risk of fracture real.
Mr. Guterres underlined the central role of prevention in UN engagement in the peace and security dimension and emphasized the need to focus on the root causes of crisis and upheaval.
“We must strengthen our mediation capacity and our tools for sustaining peace, leading to long-term development”, he added.
On climate change, the science is clear, Mr. Guterres stated.
“Rising temperatures continue to melt records. The past decade was the hottest on record. Scientists tell us that ocean temperatures are now rising at the equivalent of five Hiroshima bombs a second. One million species are in near-term danger of extinction. Our planet is burning”, he told ambassadors.
But the Secretary-General is adamant that the climate battle can be won as people everywhere “get it”, while the overwhelming majority of scientists are clear there is still time to act.
The third horseman—deep and growing global mistrust—can be defeated through fair globalization, boosting economic growth and preventing conflict.
“We must improve governance, tackle illicit financial flows, stamp out corruption and develop effective, common sense and fair taxation systems. We must build economies for the future and ensure decent work for all, especially young people. And we must put a special focus on women and girls because it benefits us all.”
The Secretary-General also encouraged leaders to work to rebuild trust, including through listening to their citizens and harnessing ideas for change and other constructive solutions put forward by youth.
Bringing light to the dark side of the digital world will require action on several fronts, including in the labour market as automation will displace tens of millions of jobs in the next decade.
The UN chief recommended that education systems be redesigned to address this reality by teaching people how to learn across the course of their entire lives.
Mr. Guterres highlighted the UN as the platform to bring together governments, the private sector, civil society, and others to counter what he called “digital fragmentation” through global cooperation.
Original source: UN News
Published on 22 January 2019