António Guterres was chatting with reporters on the eve of the opening of the G20 Summit within the Brazilian metropolis.
‘A easy message’
“I’ve come to Rio with a easy message: G20 leaders should lead,” he said.
“G20 nations – by definition – have large financial clout. They wield huge diplomatic leverage. They need to use it to deal with key world issues.”
Mr. Guterres arrived in Rio from the COP29 UN local weather convention underway in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Race in opposition to challenges
He careworn the necessity for nations to “race a lot sooner to deal with elementary frequent challenges” such because the local weather disaster, raging conflicts, rising impunity, rising inequality, and stalled progress in addressing starvation and poverty.
Furthermore, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are off-track, new applied sciences supply each unprecedented potential for each good and dangerous, and “our incapacity to deal with these challenges and extra is eroding peoples’ religion in governments and establishments.”
In the meantime, though the threats the world faces are interconnected and worldwide, world problem-solving establishments – together with the UN Security Council – “desperately want an improve”.
He recalled that in September, UN Member States adopted the Pact for the Future to assist strengthen multilateralism and advance the SDGs.
‘Step up for peace’
Urging G20 leaders to take a number one function in , Mr. Guterres mentioned “we should step up for peace” in Gaza, Lebanon, Ukraine and Sudan.
“In all places, peace requires actions grounded within the values of the UN Charter, the rule of legislation, and the ideas of sovereignty, political independence and the territorial integrity of States,” he mentioned.
‘Unfair’ worldwide monetary system
Turning subsequent to finance, the Secretary-Normal highlighted the state of affairs of susceptible nations which “face large headwinds and obstacles that aren’t of their making.”
These nations will not be getting ample help from the present worldwide monetary structure, which he described as “outdated, ineffective and unfair.”
On this regard, the Pact for the Future requires formidable reforms to make the system extra consultant of at the moment’s world financial system and the wants of growing and susceptible nations.
Larger illustration
“This consists of increasing the voice and illustration of growing nations in worldwide monetary establishments,” he mentioned.
He added that the Pact additionally requires different measures equivalent to considerably rising the lending capability of Multilateral Growth Banks, selling extra inclusive tax cooperation, and exploring all types of progressive finance, and “the worldwide neighborhood is seeking to the G20 to ship on these agreements.”
COP29 issues
On local weather, the Secretary-Normal voiced concern over the state of negotiations at COP29, noting that nations should comply with an formidable local weather finance purpose that meets the dimensions of the problem confronted by growing nations.
That is essential for constructing belief between developed and growing nations and incentivizing the preparation of excessive ambition nationwide local weather plans subsequent 12 months, he defined.
“I’ll attraction to the sense of duty of all G20 nations. Now’s the time for management by instance from the world’s largest economies and emitters. Failure just isn’t an possibility,” he mentioned.
Mr. Guterres insisted {that a} profitable end result remains to be inside attain, however it would require management and compromise from the G20.
The warmth is on
He warned that nations’ present local weather insurance policies are pushing the world to a disastrous 3.1-degree Celsius world temperature rise by the tip of the century, when the goal is 1.5 levels.
G20 nations account for 80 per cent of worldwide emissions and “should lead with nationwide local weather plans that observe the steerage they agreed to final 12 months – 1.5 levels aligned, complete of financial system and all greenhouse gases,” he mentioned.
The Secretary-Normal additionally highlighted different motion required, together with for developed nations to maintain their dedication to double adaptation finance. He additionally highlighted the necessity to combat disinformation round local weather change “starting from outright denial to greenwashing to harassment of local weather scientists.”
On this regard, the UN is launching the International Initiative for Data Integrity on Local weather Change along with Brazil and the Group’s schooling and science company, UNESCO.
Equitable entry to tech
For his ultimate level, the Secretary-Normal highlighted the Global Digital Compact adopted on the UN Summit of the Future.
It consists of the primary common settlement on Synthetic Intelligence (AI) governance “that brings each nation to the desk,” he mentioned.
The Compact additional requires an unbiased worldwide Scientific Panel on AI, initiating a world dialogue on its governance inside the UN, and progressive voluntary financing in order that growing nations can construct AI capability.
‘Seize each alternative’
The Secretary-Normal famous that whereas there are lots of challenges going through the world, many doable options additionally exist, and “the G20 should lead by instance.”
That is elementary to restoring belief, credibility, and legitimacy of each authorities and our world system within the present turbulent instances, he mentioned.
“We have to seize each alternative to steer transformative motion for a safer, extra peaceable and sustainable world,” he concluded.
