US President Joe Biden speaks during an event. File photo

United States President Joe Biden said on Tuesday the climate crisis needs critical attention, pointing to tragic flooding in Libya alongside historic drought and deluge at a time when the world is still dependent on fossil fuel.

For its part, the US has treated this threat as an existential crisis since that start of his Administration, including new laws and initiatives.

"This year, the world’s on track to meet the climate finance pledge made under the Paris Agreement: $100 billion to raise collectively,” he said in his address to the opening of the general debate of the UN General Assembly’s 78th session, "but we need more investment on public and private sector, especially in places that have contributed so little to global emissions.”

To accelerate global progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), "we all need to do more,” he said, pledging Washington’s commitment.

The US seeks a more secure, more prosperous, more equitable future for all people because "we know our future is bound to yours,” he said. "No nation can meet the challenges of the day alone.”

To meet new challenges, old institutions must be updated, bringing in leadership from regions that have not always been included to address such issues as Security Council reform and investment in developing countries.

"Twenty-first century results are badly needed to move us along,” he said. "That starts with the United Nations, right in this room.”

The UN must continue to preserve peace and prevent conflict and must also govern the benefits and challenges of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), he said.

WAM