Colombian President Gustavo Petro delivered a powerful speech at the United Nations General Assembly, advocating for peace summits to resolve conflicts in Ukraine and between Israel and Palestine. He emphasized that addressing climate change should be a priority for humanity. As Colombia's first leftist leader, Petro is actively working towards peace and surrender deals in his own country with rebel groups and crime gangs, aiming to end a six-decade conflict that has resulted in the deaths of at least 450,000 people.

Petro's proposal for peace conferences in Ukraine and Palestine is not solely based on the absence of wars in other regions, including Colombia, but rather to demonstrate how peace can be achieved globally. He referred to climate change as the "mother of all crises" and stressed the urgency of transitioning towards a de-carbonized economy. During his speech, Petro highlighted the need to redirect attention away from war and focus on combating the effects of climate change. He expressed concern about humanity's rapidly approaching extinction if global leadership does not prioritize life.

He called for a shift in focus towards addressing the changing climate, emphasizing the plight of climate refugees, who are projected to reach around 3 billion people in the coming decades. Petro warned that Colombia could turn into a desert, forcing its people to seek new habitats. He cited the staggering number of internally displaced individuals due to climate-related disasters, surpassing those displaced by conflict worldwide. The United Nations has already acknowledged this challenge, with a report showing that over 59 million people were internally displaced within their own countries due to climate-related disasters.

Furthermore, experts predict that climate change will increasingly contribute to natural disasters such as floods and wildfires, leading to the displacement of thousands and the destruction of entire towns. It is clear that Petro's call for peace summits and a global focus on climate change resonates with the growing urgency to address these interconnected global challenges.