President Joe Biden addressed the United Nations General Assembly for the first time on Tuesday (September 21). President Biden started off his speech on a solemn note, acknowledging all the people who have died during the global coronavirus pandemic.

"We meet this year in a moment of intermingled with great pain and extraordinary possibility. We've lost so much to this devastating pandemic that continues to claim lives around the world and impact so much on our existence. We're mourning more than 4.5 million people, people of every nation, from every background. Each death is an individual heartbreak," he said.

"Will we work together to save lives, defeat COVID-19 everywhere, and take the necessary stem to prepare ourselves for the next pandemic, because there will be another one. Or will we fail to harness the tools at our disposal as more virulent and dangerous variants take hold," Biden continued.

President Biden also addressed his decision to end the 20-year war in Afghanistan, saying America will no longer "fight the wars of the past."

"Instead of continuing to fight the wars of the past, we are fixing our eyes on devoting our resources into the challenges that hold the keys to our collective future. Ending this pandemic, addressing the climate crisis, managing the shifts in global power dynamics, shaping the rules of the world on vital issues like trade, cyber and emerging technologies, and facing the threat of terrorism as it stands today," Biden said.

"We've ended 20 years of conflict in Afghanistan, and as we close this period of relentless war, we're opening a new era of relentless diplomacy, of using the power of our development aid to invest in new ways of lifting people up around the world, of renewing and defending democracy, of proving that no matter how challenging or how complex the problems we're going to face, government by and for the people is still the best way to deliver for all of our people," Biden told world leaders.

President Biden also address climate change and vowed that the United States would lead the charge in lower emissions and limit global warming.

"To keep within our reach the vital goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees celsius, every nation needs to bring their highest possible ambitions to the table when we meet in Glasgow for COP26," Biden said. "And then we have to keep raising our collective ambition over time."

"And my administration is working closely with our congress to make critical investments in green infrastructure and electric vehicles that will help us lock in progress at home toward our climate goals," he continued.

Biden said that it is time to move forward to fight the current battles facing the world.

“I stand here today the first time in 20 years the United States is not at war. We’ve turned the page. All the unmatched strength, energy, commitment, will and resources, our nation are now fully and squarely focused on what's ahead of us, not what was behind," he said.

Dan Caplis

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