By Jeff Kapembwa
The ongoing 80th-edition of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 80), opened in New York on 9 Sept. with a warning to world leaders to approach the climate change impasse with a coordinated action, describing it a recurring ‘global crisis’.
United Nations-Secretary General António Guterres, warns leaders attending the global summit to be wary of the “global crisis” and that it has multiplier effects of war, inequality and technological risks, and should be resolved in unison unlike individually for durable outcomes.
“We are facing a global crisis. Conflicts are multiplying in the context in which geopolitical divides do not allow to effectively address them,” Guterres is cited as saying to UN News.
He discourages countries against working in isolation when confronting the crisis at the height of a surging crisis and at the expense of multiple challenges, debt included and needs servicing, yet inequality continues rising.
“There is a sense of impunity – every country believes they can do whatever they want. On the other hand, we see that developing countries are facing enormous difficulties. Many of them are drowning in debt without access to concessional funding that they require to redress their economies. Inequality is growing.”
The UN encourages global cooperation to contain climate impasse which continues heightening and fears it could, if not redressed as the ‘elephant in the room’ could see a surge in global warming above 1.5° Celsius-contrasting the campaigners expectations.
“Climate change is not yet under control. And we have several signals that it will probably be very difficult to maintain our central objective, which is to keep global warming below 1.5° Celsius,” he said, referring to the threshold agreed under the 2015 Paris Agreement on Climate Change.
Although the cutting edge technology such as Artificial Intelligence offers promise, can amplify polarisation and hate speech, governance, contends, must “ensure human agency is preserved and that they become a force for good.”
The UN is hopeful that the campaigners assembling at the UNGA80 will make tangible resolutions with durable commitments across carbon emissions reduction, international financial reform and strengthening multilateralism.
Leaders, Guterres envisages, should endeavor to “turn the tide” and accept reforms of the international financial architecture for greater justice and equality.
The conference, dwelling on various climate change stories, is envisaged to focus on the urgent need for new, more ambitious national climate action plans (Nationally Determined Contributions or NDCs) to cut emissions and achieve the 1.5°C goal.
Key themes lined up at the ‘global leaders’ summit include climate change as a health crisis, the disproportionate impact on vulnerable nations like Small Island developing states and African countries, record levels of displacement.
There is also a critical need for increased international cooperation and funding to address these interwoven global crises.
The United Nations is being commemorated its 80th anniversary under the banner “Building Our Future Together,”
The meeting is themed: “Tracking the Pact for the Future at UN@80: Advancing Peace, Sustainability, Digital Cooperation, Youth Empowerment, and Global Governance Reform”.
Key Narratives and Concerns:
• Urgent Call for Enhanced Climate Action: UN Secretary-General António Guterres is pressing world leaders to submit new, dramatically reduced emission plans to avoid irreversible climate disasters.
• Climate Change as a Health Crisis: The intersection of climate change and health was a major focus, with experts noting that the climate crisis is a health crisis and that only a small fraction of climate funding goes to health initiatives, despite the increasing health impacts of climate change.
• Displacement and Climate Migration: The 80th UNGA is addressing record-breaking levels of displacement worldwide, with over 125 million people forced from their homes due to climate change and other factors.
• Vulnerability of Poorer Nations: The disproportionate risks faced by vulnerable countries, such as small island developing States and African nations, are being highlighted, with calls for their needs to be prioritized in global efforts.
• Need for Renewed Multilateralism: The summit theme, “Better together: 80 years and more for peace, development and human rights,” underscores the necessity of international cooperation and solidarity to tackle complex challenges, including climate change.
• A Turning Point for Climate Action: World leaders are being urged to take stock of the climate crisis and present new ideas to drive action in mitigation, adaptation, finance, and information integrity, as this is a critical moment for opportunity.
• International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation (IYGP):2025 has been declared the International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation to unite global efforts to protect vital freshwater sources from melting at an alarming rate due to climate change.
United Nations-Secretary General António Guterres, warns leaders attending the global summit to be wary of the “global crisis” and that it has multiplier effects of war, inequality and technological risks, and should be resolved in unison unlike individually for durable outcomes.
“We are facing a global crisis. Conflicts are multiplying in the context in which geopolitical divides do not allow to effectively address them,” Guterres is cited as saying to UN News.
He discourages countries against working in isolation when confronting the crisis at the height of a surging crisis and at the expense of multiple challenges, debt included and needs servicing, yet inequality continues rising.
“There is a sense of impunity – every country believes they can do whatever they want. On the other hand, we see that developing countries are facing enormous difficulties. Many of them are drowning in debt without access to concessional funding that they require to redress their economies. Inequality is growing.”
The UN encourages global cooperation to contain climate impasse which continues heightening and fears it could, if not redressed as the ‘elephant in the room’ could see a surge in global warming above 1.5° Celsius-contrasting the campaigners expectations.
“Climate change is not yet under control. And we have several signals that it will probably be very difficult to maintain our central objective, which is to keep global warming below 1.5° Celsius,” he said, referring to the threshold agreed under the 2015 Paris Agreement on Climate Change.
Although the cutting edge technology such as Artificial Intelligence offers promise, can amplify polarisation and hate speech, governance, contends, must “ensure human agency is preserved and that they become a force for good.”
The UN is hopeful that the campaigners assembling at the UNGA80 will make tangible resolutions with durable commitments across carbon emissions reduction, international financial reform and strengthening multilateralism.
Leaders, Guterres envisages, should endeavor to “turn the tide” and accept reforms of the international financial architecture for greater justice and equality.
The conference, dwelling on various climate change stories, is envisaged to focus on the urgent need for new, more ambitious national climate action plans (Nationally Determined Contributions or NDCs) to cut emissions and achieve the 1.5°C goal.
Key themes lined up at the ‘global leaders’ summit include climate change as a health crisis, the disproportionate impact on vulnerable nations like Small Island developing states and African countries, record levels of displacement.
There is also a critical need for increased international cooperation and funding to address these interwoven global crises.
The United Nations is being commemorated its 80th anniversary under the banner “Building Our Future Together,”
The meeting is themed: “Tracking the Pact for the Future at UN@80: Advancing Peace, Sustainability, Digital Cooperation, Youth Empowerment, and Global Governance Reform”.
Key Narratives and Concerns:
• Urgent Call for Enhanced Climate Action: UN Secretary-General António Guterres is pressing world leaders to submit new, dramatically reduced emission plans to avoid irreversible climate disasters.
• Climate Change as a Health Crisis: The intersection of climate change and health was a major focus, with experts noting that the climate crisis is a health crisis and that only a small fraction of climate funding goes to health initiatives, despite the increasing health impacts of climate change.
• Displacement and Climate Migration: The 80th UNGA is addressing record-breaking levels of displacement worldwide, with over 125 million people forced from their homes due to climate change and other factors.
• Vulnerability of Poorer Nations: The disproportionate risks faced by vulnerable countries, such as small island developing States and African nations, are being highlighted, with calls for their needs to be prioritized in global efforts.
• Need for Renewed Multilateralism: The summit theme, “Better together: 80 years and more for peace, development and human rights,” underscores the necessity of international cooperation and solidarity to tackle complex challenges, including climate change.
• A Turning Point for Climate Action: World leaders are being urged to take stock of the climate crisis and present new ideas to drive action in mitigation, adaptation, finance, and information integrity, as this is a critical moment for opportunity.
• International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation (IYGP):2025 has been declared the International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation to unite global efforts to protect vital freshwater sources from melting at an alarming rate due to climate change.