Davos: UN chief warns world that the world is in a “sorry state”
DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) — The world is in a “sorry state” because of myriad “interlinked” challenges including climate change and Russia’s war in Ukraine that are “piling up like cars in a chain reaction crash,” the U.N. chief said at the World Economic Forum’s meeting Wednesday.
On the second day, U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres gave his grim message to the elite gathering of world leaders in Davos, Switzerland. When news broke that there was an ailment, the mood turned darkly. helicopter crash in Ukraine that killed 18 people, including Ukraine’s interior minister and other officials.
Forum President Borge Brende requested 15 seconds of silence and Ukrainian first lady Olena Zelenska dabbed teary eyes, calling it “another very sad day,” then telling attendees that “we can also change this negative situation for the better.”
Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the Ukrainian President, was due to address the conclave via video link. His wife is part of a Ukrainian delegation pushing for more assistance, including weapons, from allies around the world. fight Russia. Shortly before Zelenskyy, Olaf Scholz (German Chancellor) spoke. facing pressure to send tanks to help Ukraine The only leader from the Group of Seven largest economies to attend Davos is he.
Guterres stated that the greatest levels of geopolitical discord and mistrust over generations are undermining efforts for global solutions to global problems. This includes widening inequality. cost-of-living crisis sparked by soaring inflation And an energy crunch, the lingering effects from the COVID-19 pandemic and supply-chain disruptions, and many other things.
He was the one who stood out climate change as an “existential challenge,” and said a global commitment to limit the Earth’s temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius “is nearly going up in smoke.”
Guterres is a world leader in climate change advocacy. referenced a recent study Exxon Mobil scientists made astonishingly accurate predictions about climate change’s effects as early as 1970s. This was even though the company had publicly doubted that global warming was real.
“We learned last week that certain fossil fuel producers were fully aware in the 1970s that their core product was baking our planet,” he said in his speech. “Some in Big Oil peddled the big lie.”
Critics have questioned the impact of the four-day meeting where politicians, CEOs and other leaders discuss the world’s problems — and make deals on the sidelines — but where concrete action is harder to measure. For example, environmentalists are critical of the private jets that transport bigwigs to an event that places climate change as a priority.
The second day saw a host of panels on topics such as the metaverse, artificial intelligence, and environmental greenwashing.
As the anniversary of the war approaches, Ukraine is front and center. Zelenska pressing attendees to do more to help her country at a time when Russia’s invasion is leaving children dying and the world struggling with food insecurity.
After a tragedy, the crash brought more torment. Russian missile strike hit an apartment building Over the weekend, Dnipro (southeastern Ukraine) was the scene of a massacre that claimed the lives of dozens of people. It was the worst attack in months.
However, Ukraine is receiving additional international support. The Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte stated Tuesday that Ukraine was receiving more international support. Netherlands plans to “join” the U.S. and Germany’s efforts Ukraine will be equipped with the most advanced Patriot defense systems.
The German government has faced mounting pressure To make a significant contribution to military assistance to Ukraine, by agreeing to supply Leopard 2 battle tanks. U.S. Defense secretary Lloyd Austin will visit Berlin this week, and then host a meeting at Ramstein Air Base in west Germany.
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AP journalists Masha Mackherson and David Keyton in Davos contributed. Kelvin Chan in London contributed.
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