The President of the United States spoke to the world: “Record-breaking heatwaves in the United States and China. Wildfires ravaging North America and Southern Europe. A fifth year of drought in the Horn of Africa. Tragic, tragic flooding in Libya… Together these snapshots tell an urgent story of what awaits us if we fail to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and begin to climate-proof the world.”

Climate crisis is front and centre at this #UNGA. US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, John Kerry arrives at UN Headquarters ahead of the Climate Ambition Summit on Wednesday.

Media from around the world follows Biden's speech from the Media Centre at UNHQ.

United States President Joseph Biden takes the floor at the United Nations. Watch live.

The General Assembly Hall is packed to standing capacity. It may be an increasingly multipolar world, but there are some popular draws - the President of the United States will speak shortly.

President of Brazil Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva took the stage for the first speech from Member States at this year's General Debate.

“The 10 richest billionaires have more wealth than the poorest 40 per cent of humanity," he said. "The destiny of every child born on this planet seems to be decided while they’re still in their mother’s womb. The part of the world where their parents live – and the social class their family belongs to – will determine whether or not that child will have opportunities throughout life.”

TV crew sets up by the East River for its interviews with delegates.

"We are inching ever closer to a Great Fracture in economic and financial systems and trade relations; one that threatens a single, open internet; with diverging strategies on technology and artificial intelligence; and potentially clashing security frameworks," UN Secretary-General António Guterres told world leaders at the start of the annual high-level debate.

"It is high time to renew multilateral institutions based on 21st century economic and political realities – rooted in equity, solidarity and universality – anchored in the principles of the United Nations Charter and international law."

President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine arrives for the opening of the UN GA's General Debate. He is set to take the podium later this morning.

The UN Meetings Coverage Section (MCS) editing command centre for the General Debate: 10 tabbed windows open, three communication platforms for press officers, proofreaders and editors buzzing, webcast up and running, live meeting spreadsheet noting every speaker, every press officer, every text being updated every three seconds, reading glasses available and, most important, coffee within reach. Just another day at MCS.

UN Member States are not always seated in the same place.

Every year, on the day of the election of the upcoming President of the General Assembly, the Secretary-General draws the name of one Member State whose delegation will occupy the first seat in the GA Hall (at the right end of the front row as seen from the podium). Other Member States are seated in the English alphabetical order of their country names.

For the 78th session, North Macedonia will occupy the first seat.

The UN General Assembly is meeting in New York, but where was its first-ever session?
UNGA opened its seventh session on 14 October 1952, faced with the heaviest agenda in its history. This view of the first meeting shows United States Representative Warren R. Austin addressing the Assembly. The gold-piped wall behind the speaker’s podium, with its sixty discs, which would contain the coat-of-arms of member nations, is an aesthetic as well as an acoustical achievement.

Watch the actual meeting

Located along the East River in Manhattan, UN Headquarters is made of aluminium, glass, and Vermont maple. Designed by an international team of architects, the undertaking was led by Wallace K. Harrison, and included Le Corbusier and Oscar Niemeyer.

Construction began on 24 October 1947 and the cornerstone was laid exactly two years later in 1949. The campus covers 17 acres, or 69,000 square metres. The Secretariat climbs 550 feet high for a total of 39 stories, whose offices have quite a view of New York City.