Guterres warns of a “triple crisis” facing the world today

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned Friday that the world today faces a “triple crisis of climate disruption, loss of natural resources and biodiversity, pollution and waste.”

This came in a video message of the Secretary-General on the occasion of the United Nations celebration of the International Day of “Mother Earth”.

“The planet today is facing a triple crisis of climate disruption, loss of natural resources, biodiversity, pollution and waste,” Guterres said in the letter.

“This triple crisis threatens the well-being and survival of millions of people around the world, and it is clear that Mother Earth is sending us an urgent call to action,” he added.

And Guterres added: “Nature is suffering, the oceans are filling up with plastic, their acidity is increasing, and the temperatures are increasing.

This is in addition to wildfires and floods, as well as the record-breaking Atlantic hurricane season, affecting millions of people.”

He continued, “We are currently facing the Corona pandemic (Covid-19), which is considered a global pandemic related to the health of our ecosystem.”

He added: “The truth is that we have not done well in maintaining the integrity of our fragile world, because the foundations of a happy life and living in good health have been severely disrupted.”

However, he added, “However, there is still a glimmer of hope. Fifty years ago, the world gathered around the Stockholm table, and we have witnessed since then what can be achieved when the world works as one.”

“We have succeeded in reducing the size of the ozone hole, ending the use of leaded fuels, and avoiding the premature deaths of millions of people,” Guterres added.

He urged the countries of the world to “accelerate the pace in order to avoid a climate catastrophe, and show the necessary ambition and readiness to work to address the triple emergency facing our planet.”

In 2009, the United Nations General Assembly decided to designate April 22 of each year as the International Mother Earth Day.