The World Is in 'Great Peril,' UN Chief Warns

The World Is in 'Great Peril,', UN Chief Warns.

The World Is in 'Great Peril,', UN Chief Warns.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres made the dire assessment in the lead-up to his "state of the world" speech on Sept.

20.

Representatives from 150 nations will meet in person for the first time in three years as the 77th General Assembly meeting convenes.

A spokesman for the UN stated that while Guterres will not fall to "sugar-coating" in his remarks.

... he will "outline reasons for hope.".

The Secretary-General did not spare words for fossil fuel companies.

... calling for concerted global taxes to assist emerging economies struggling due to the climate crisis.

[Fossil fuel companies are] feasting on hundreds of billions of dollars in subsidies and windfall profits while household budgets shrink and our planet burns, António Guterres, UN Secretary General, via CNN.

I am calling on all developed economies to tax the windfall profits of fossil fuel companies, António Guterres, UN Secretary General, via CNN.

Those funds should be redirected in two ways: to countries suffering loss and damage caused by the climate crisis, and to people struggling with rising food and energy prices, António Guterres, UN Secretary General, via CNN.

Guterres chastised governments that place the climate crisis on the "back burner.".

The climate crisis is the defining issue of our time, António Guterres, UN Secretary General, via CNN.

It must be the first priority of every government and multilateral organization.

, António Guterres, UN Secretary General, via CNN.

And yet climate action is being put on the back burner – despite overwhelming public support around the world, António Guterres, UN Secretary General, via CNN.

The assembly is expected to also focus on education, gender equality and poverty