Via The Elders \\ The Doomsday Clock is moving again: Every second counts

Who We Are What We Do News & Insight   A message from Helen Clark Former Prime Minister of New Zealand and former head of the UN Development Programme     Dear friends, As I look at the world today, I see the threats which we are facing mounting. Last month, my fellow Elder, Juan Manuel Santos, travelled to Washington DC for the unveiling of the Doomsday clock, which now stands at 89 seconds to midnight. That alarming setting reflects the scale of the existential threats which confront us: not least those of the climate and nature crisis, pandemics, nuclear weapons, and unregulated AI. In fact, last month was recorded as the hottest January on record, at an alarming 1.75°C above pre-industrial levels,  further underscoring the need for urgent climate action. While these threats can seem overwhelming, they are not insurmountable. For some time, we at The Elders have made our message clear – that averting catastrophe requires leaders to reject isolationism and self-interest in favour of collaboration and open dialogue. In line with this, I recently returned from Davos and the Norad annual conference, two forums which emphasise the importance of multilateralism in addressing key global challenges. In Davos, the new Trump administration was top of mind, with some attracted by the prospect of reduced regulation and lower taxes for business, and with others concerned about the potential for disruptions to global trade through higher tariffs and the overall uncertainty about the direction of the new government. The Norad conference foreshadowed the upcoming 4th International Conference on Financing for Development and the urgent need to build stronger global partnerships for sustainable progress. The need for greater global cooperation is also central to the Elders’ new policy position paper on pandemics, published on 30 January, the fifth anniversary of COVID-19 being declared a public health emergency of international concern. The paper examines six critical themes requiring action on the global pandemic reform agenda and includes targeted recommendations for each. Those recommendations are not easy asks. They demand a significant shift in prioritisation and financing, and they demand bold political leadership. If the recommendations are followed, the impact on global pandemic preparedness and response capacity would be transformative. The Elders expressed relief in January that a ceasefire was finally being observed in Gaza, together with the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian detainees. We remain gravely concerned, however, that the fragile ceasefire will be undermined by Israel’s new legislation targeting UNRWA, which risks endangering desperately-needed humanitarian relief in the Gaza Strip and across the occupied Palestinian territory, its offensive in the West Bank, and President Trump’s statement about taking over Gaza and removing Gazans from the occupied territory. Just months ago, UNRWA launched a rapid vaccination campaign in Gaza, reaching 640,000 children to curb the growing polio threat. UNRWA’s humanitarian work is not just important – it is essential. We urge the Israeli government to reconsider this legislation, restore cooperation with UNRWA, and work in good faith with all parties to ensure that the ceasefire is implemented in full over the coming weeks and months. While all these issues are complex and urgent, they share a common thread: the need for collaboration to find lasting solutions. Only through collective action and principled leadership can we build a safer, more just world for all. Thank you for your continued support, Helen Clark       "Only through collective action and principled leadership can we build a safer, more just world for all." - Helen Clark