In opening his annual remarks to the United Nations General Assembly in New York, UN Secretary-General António Guterres emphasized the need for member countries to address the dire international security situation, as described in this year’s Doomsday Clock statement. Members of the Bulletin’s Science and Security Board “surveyed the state of the world—the Russian invasion of Ukraine, runaway climate catastrophe, rising nuclear threats, the undermining of global norms and institutions. And they came to a clear conclusion,” Guterres said. “The Doomsday Clock is now 90 seconds to midnight, or total global catastrophe.”

“This is the closest the clock has ever stood to humanity’s darkest hour—closer than even during the height of the Cold War,” he added.

The secretary-general’s remarks came as part of his report on UN activities and his priorities for 2023, which clearly include dealing with major existential risks that the international community faces. Guterres also warned about a “confluence of challenges,” from climate change to financial and economic issues.

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