Einstein’s ‘Doomsday Clock’ shows world closer to catastrophe than ever: UN chief

UN Secretary-General António Guterres says the symbolic “Doomsday Clock” that scientists use to measure how close the world is to total catastrophe is at its most dire level ever.

“This is the closest the clock has ever stood to humanity’s darkest hour — closer than even during the height of the Cold War,” Guterres said — specifically citing the Ukraine-Russia war — as he laid out his priorities for 2023 to the General Assembly in New York on Monday.

“That symbolic clock was created 76 years ago by atomic scientists, including Albert Einstein.  

“Year after year, experts have measured humanity’s proximity to midnight — in other words, to self-destruction.

“In 2023, they surveyed the state of the world — with the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the runaway climate catastrophe, rising nuclear threats that are undermining global norms and institutions,” Guterres said. “And they came to a clear conclusion.  

“The Doomsday Clock is now 90 seconds to midnight, which means 90 seconds to total global catastrophe.

“In truth, the Doomsday Clock is a global alarm clock. We need to wake up — and get to work.”

At the top of Guterres’ list of concerns was Russia’s war in Ukraine, which is rapidly approaching its first anniversary.

The Portuguese United Nations leader said his fear is the conflict could lead to a “wider war.”

“The prospects for peace keep diminishing. The chances for further escalation and bloodshed keep growing,” Guterres warned. “I fear the world is not sleepwalking into a wider war. I fear it is doing so with its eyes wide open.”

Guterres painted a gloomy image of the problems plaguing the world, noting there is a “confluence of challenges unlike any other in our lifetimes.

“We need a course correction. The good news is that we know how to turn things around — on climate, on finance, on conflict resolution, on and on. And we know that the costs of inaction far exceed the costs of action,” Guterres said.

While Russia’s war in Ukraine was at the top of his concerns, Guterres referenced other threats to global peace, including the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, repression in Myanmar, gang violence in Haiti and the continued eradication of women’s rights in Afghanistan.

Guterres said the world needs to recommit to the UN’s charter to ensure global peace.

“If every country fulfilled its obligations under the Charter, the right to peace would be guaranteed. When countries break those pledges, they create a world of insecurity for everyone,” he said.

Stressing the need for the UN to fulfill its promise to “save succeeding generations from the scourge of war,” Guterres urged leaders to move forward with “bold and innovative approaches.”

“Something is fundamentally wrong with our economic and financial system,” he said, saying it is to blame for the growing gap between the rich and poor, the increase in poverty and the debt burden on developing countries.

He added: “Without fundamental reforms, the richest countries and individuals will continue to pile up wealth, leaving crumbs for the communities and countries of the global south.”