The world’s
population will reach 8 billion in the middle of November — testament to
scientific breakthroughs and improvements in nutrition, public health, and
sanitation. But as our human family grows larger, it is also growing more
divided.
اضافة اعلان
Billions of people are struggling; hundreds of
millions are facing hunger and even famine. Record numbers are on the move
seeking opportunities and relief from debt hardship, wars, and climate
disasters.
Unless we bridge the yawning chasm between the
global haves and have-nots, we are setting ourselves up for an 8-billion-strong
world filled with tensions and mistrust, crisis and conflict.
The facts speak for themselves. A handful of
billionaires control as much wealth as the poorest half of the world. The top 1
percent globally pockets one fifth of the world’s income, while people in the
richest countries can expect to live up to 30 years longer than those in the
poorest. As the world has grown richer and healthier in recent decades, these
inequalities have grown too.
On top of these long-term trends, the accelerating
climate crisis and the unequal recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic are
turbocharging inequalities. We are heading straight for climate catastrophe,
while emissions and temperatures continue to rise. Floods, storms, and droughts
are devastating countries that contributed almost nothing to global heating.
The war in Ukraine is adding to ongoing food,
energy, and finance crises, hitting developing economies the hardest. These
inequalities take their greatest toll on women and girls, and on marginalized
groups that already suffer discrimination.
Many countries in the global South face huge debts,
increasing poverty and hunger, and the growing impacts of the climate crisis.
They have little chance of investing in a sustainable recovery from the
pandemic, the transition to renewable energy, or education and training for the
digital age.
Anger and resentment against developed countries are
reaching breaking points.
Toxic divisions and lack of trust are causing delays
and deadlock on a host of issues, from nuclear disarmament to terrorism to
global health. We must curb these damaging trends, repair relationships and
find joint solutions to our common challenges.
A handful of billionaires controls as much wealth as the poorest half of the world. The top one percent globally pockets one fifth of the world’s income, while people in the richest countries can expect to live up to 30 years longer than those in the poorest.
The first step is acknowledging that this runaway
inequality is a choice, and one that developed countries have the
responsibility to reverse — starting this month at the UN climate conference in
Egypt and the G20 summit in Bali.
I hope COP27 will see a historic Climate Solidarity
Pact under which developed and emerging economies unite around a common
strategy and combine their capacities and resources for the benefit of
humankind. Wealthier countries must provide key emerging economies with
financial and technical support to transition away from fossil fuels. That is
our only hope of meeting our climate goals.
I also urge leaders at COP27 to agree on a roadmap
and institutional framework to compensate countries in the global South for
climate-related loss and damage that is already causing enormous suffering.
The G20 summit in Bali will be an opportunity to
address the plight of developing countries. I have urged G20 economies to adopt
a stimulus package that will provide governments of the global South with
investments and liquidity, and address debt relief and restructuring.
As we push for action on these medium-term measures,
we are working non-stop with all stakeholders to ease the global food crisis.
The Black Sea Grain Initiative is an essential part
of those efforts. It has helped to stabilize markets and bring food prices
down. Every fraction of a percent has the potential to ease hunger and save
lives.
We are also working to ensure Russian fertilizers
can flow into global markets, which have been severely disrupted by the war.
Fertilizer prices are up to three times higher than before the pandemic. Rice,
the most widely consumed staple in the world, is the crop that will suffer
most.
Removing the remaining obstacles to the exports of
Russian fertilizers is an essential step towards global food security.
Among all these serious challenges, there is some
good news.
Our 8-billion-strong world could yield enormous
opportunities for some of the poorest countries, where population growth is
highest.
Relatively small investments in healthcare,
education, gender equality and sustainable economic development could create a
virtuous circle of development and growth, transforming economies and lives.
Within a few decades, today’s poorest countries
could become engines of sustainable, green growth and prosperity across entire
regions.
I never bet against human ingenuity, and I have
enormous faith in human solidarity. In these difficult times, we would do well
to remember the words of one of humanity’s wisest observers, Mahatma Gandhi:
“The world has enough for everyone’s need – but not everyone’s greed.”
This month’s big global meetups must be an
opportunity to start bridging divides and restoring trust, based on the equal
rights and freedoms of every single member of humanity’s 8-billion-strong
family.
Antonio Guterres is the UN secretary-general.
Read more Opinion and Analysis
Jordan News
.jpg)
.jpg)
