5-alarm global fire

5-alarm global fire announcement by UN

 5-alarm global fire

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• The story: The United Nations recently announced that the world is to face five major risks in 2022. These risks are called as – 5-alarm global fire. These are – i. The COVID-19 battle, ii. Reform global finance, iii. The climate emergency, iv. Technology and cyberspace and v. diminished peace and security.

• Alarm 1: The COVID-19 battle

1. Stopping coronavirus spread must be at the top of the agenda everywhere. The virus cannot be used as a “cover” to undermine human rights, curtail civil space and freedoms, or impose disproportionate restrictions.
2. Vaccine inequity persists despite a global strategy to inoculate 40 per cent of all people by the end of last year and 70 per cent by the middle of this year. The pandemic favours the rich and is punishing the poor - Richer nations have vaccination rates seven times higher than those in countries in Africa.

• Alarm 2: Reform global finance

1. The global financial system is bankrupt. Actually, a good reliable and strong financial system should support countries through their financial shocks.
2. Disbalanced investments are being made. This is leading to lopsided recovery. The middle-income countries are denied debt relief. The poorer countries are facing the slowest growth or no growth at all.
3. The women and the girls form the major part of the poor in the world. The poor and middle-income countries are facing forced migration.    

• Alarm 3: The climate emergency

1. The countries should go into emergency mode in order to prevent or reduce these risks. “Avalanche action” is the need of the moment to tackle the climate crisis.
2. The global emissions should be reduced by 45% by the end of the decade.

• Alarm 4: Technology and cyberspace

1. Personal information is being misused and manipulated all over the world. There is a huge violation of human rights and the undermining of democratic institutions.
2. Need to both expand internet access to the nearly three billion people still offline, and to address risks such as data misuse, misinformation and cyber-crime.

• Alarm 5: Peace and security - With the world now facing the highest number of violent conflicts since 1945, peace is badly needed.
• Summary: The world is seized with limiting the temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius as compared to the pre-industrial levels as agreed upon in Paris agreement in 2015. The world governments should take immediate actions to data misuse, cybercrime and misinformation, human rights and rule of law; rising populism, racism and extremism; and escalating humanitarian crises, fuelled by climate change.
• EXAM QUESTIONS: (1) In your view, what could be the political impact of climate change in the world? Elaborate your answer with examples. (2) Pandemics like COVID-19 can be used to destroy citizen's independence. Make your case with relevant examples.
  

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