United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres highlighted the importance of international law in global governance and urged donor countries and banks to support the climate fund, during two separate speeches on Monday.

More than 2,000 businesses, governments and civil society leaders, and 25 heads of state of government will meet virtually for the World Economic Forum Davos Agenda this week to tackle the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic and address the urgent need for global cooperation.

This year, Davos will convene from January 25-29 under the theme "A Crucial Year to Rebuild Trust" and discuss current challenges such as COVID-19 vaccination, job creation and climate change.

The two-day online Climate Adaptation Summit (CAS) 2021, which opened on Monday, is expected to jumpstart a year of climate-related events, linked with the Davos week.

The event, hosted by the Netherlands, is aimed at accelerating, innovating and scaling-up the world's efforts in adapting the global societies and economies to the inevitable effects of climate change over the coming decade.

Davos: Respect the international law

Guterres on Monday called on countries to develop a global economy with universal respect for international law.

"We need one global economy with universal respect for international law; a multipolar world with strong multilateral institutions," the UN chief told the virtual Davos Agenda 2021.

"Humanity has just endured a year of tragedy and crisis that we never want to repeat. But the tests to our societies are continuing. If there is one word that characterizes today's world, it is fragility," said Guterres.

Speaking of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, Guterres said that more than two million people have died, and "we are in the worst economic crisis for nearly a century," while noting that "the world sees the fragility in the inequalities among people and countries that have been starkly highlighted by the pandemic."

"We also see fragility in the climate and biodiversity crises. Both are existential threats. Both are getting worse. We are waging war on nature and destroying our life support system. We see fragility in global geopolitical divides," warned the secretary-general.

The UN chief once again expressed his concern about the division "between the two largest economies" and said "we must do everything possible to avert such a division."

The secretary-general also voiced his concerns about the fragilities in cyberspace and disarmament regime.

"In 2021 we must address these fragilities and put the world on track. It is time to change course and take the sustainable path," the UN chief underscored.

Referring to the fact that vaccines are "quickly reaching high-income countries," while the world's poorest "have none at all," the UN chief warned that "if developed countries think they will be safe if they vaccinate their own countries while neglecting the developing world, they are wrong."

Guterres once again urged support for the "full funding for the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator and its COVAX facility."

CAS 2021: Support the climate finance

Guterres said "the COVID-19 pandemic has reminded us that we cannot afford to ignore known risks. Climate disruption is a risk we are well aware of." He urged donor countries and banks to help improve the climate finance during his speech at CAS 2021.

"Donor countries and multilateral, regional and national development banks need to significantly increase the volume and predictability of their finance for adaptation and resilience," the UN chief 

Guterres said that he has called for 50 percent of the total share of climate finance provided by all donors and multilateral development banks to be allocated for climate adaptation and resilience.

"Adaptation cannot be the neglected half of the climate equation," he noted.

"Let us remember that developed countries must meet the commitments made in the Paris Agreement to mobilize 100 billion U.S. dollars a year for mitigation and adaptation in developing countries," he added.

The UN chief also stressed that all budget allocations and investment decisions need to be climate resilient.

"Climate risk must be embedded in all procurement processes, particularly for infrastructure," he said.

Guterres also called for efforts to "significantly scale-up existing catastrophe-triggered financial instruments such as the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility and the African Risk Capacity."

The secretary-general urged countries "to ease access to finance, especially for the most vulnerable, and expand debt relief initiatives."

Finally, he made a call "to support regional adaptation and resilience initiatives."

(With input from Xinhua)

(Cover photo: United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres attends a session during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 23, 2020. /AP)