Originally posted by the Voice of America. Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America, a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in the public domain. UN Chief Appeals for Action to Heal 'Broken Planet' Margeret Besheer NEW YORK - United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Wednesday that "the planet is broken" and made an urgent appeal for a course correction to avert a climate catastrophe. "The fallout of the assault on our planet is impeding our efforts to eliminate poverty and imperiling food security. And it is making our work for peace even more difficult, as the disruptions drive instability, displacement and conflict," Guterres said. "It is no coincidence that 70% of the most climate-vulnerable countries are also among the most politically and economically fragile." The U.N. chief spoke at New York's Columbia University to an online audience, ahead of a virtual summit Saturday marking the fifth anniversary of the Paris Climate Agreement. Nearly every nation signed up to the landmark accord which focuses on limiting global warming and includes commitments to drastically cut greenhouse gas emissions by mid-century. The United States formally withdrew from the accord earlier this year, but the incoming administration of President-elect Joe Biden plans to rejoin it. Guterres, who has made climate action a signature cause of his tenure, laid out his immediate priorities -- creating a global coalition to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 and aligning public and private finance around that goal; raising financing for developing countries to mitigate climate impacts; and expanding funding for climate adaptation and resilience. "Let's be clear -- human activities are at the root of our descent toward chaos," Guterres said. "But that means human action can help solve it. Making peace with nature is the defining task of the 21st century. It must be the top, top priority for everyone, everywhere." .