{"id":193101,"date":"2019-05-20T15:11:15","date_gmt":"2019-05-20T19:11:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/pga\/73\/?p=193101"},"modified":"2019-05-20T15:11:15","modified_gmt":"2019-05-20T19:11:15","slug":"press-briefing-by-spokesperson-20-may-2019","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/pga\/73\/2019\/05\/20\/press-briefing-by-spokesperson-20-may-2019\/","title":{"rendered":"Press Briefing by Spokesperson \u2013 20 May 2019"},"content":{"rendered":"
Hope you are well today. I will start by saying hello to a new member of our Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵCA family. Benno Schwinghammer is from DPA, Deutsche Presse Agentur. Welcome!<\/em><\/p>\n
PGA TAKES PART IN INAUGURAL ECOSOC PRESIDENTIAL LECTURE<\/strong><\/p>\n
Ms. Mar\u00eda Fernanda Espinosa spoke this morning at the Inaugural ECOSOC Presidential Lecture by Harvard Professor, Dr. Steven Pinker, on \u201cReason, Science, Humanism and Progress in Creating the Future We Want\u201d.<\/p>\n
The PGA said that the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ needs more people \u201cwho can challenge our assumptions with logic and figures to back it up\u201d, and more interaction with the academia, civil society and people outside the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ in order to make it relevant to all.<\/p>\n
The President stressed that to achieve our goals, we will need reason, science, humanism and multilateralism, which is an extension of all three.<\/p>\n
Ms. Espinosa believes that \u201cat a global level, we have made progress on many of the metrics of development. Now, through the Sustainable Development Goals, we have the opportunity to ensure every single one of us can benefit from these gains.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Inaugural Presidential Lecture is being followed by an interactive dialogue at<\/p>\n
the ECOSOC Chamber.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
MS. ESPINOSA MARKS WORLD BEE DAY ASKING FOR MORE ACTION<\/strong><\/p>\n
The General Assembly is marking World Bee Day.<\/p>\n
In her remarks, the PGA asked for more action to protect biodiversity.<\/p>\n
Ms. Espinosa highlighted the fact that about \u201chalf of all bee species are thought to be in decline. Five percent are thought to be endangered. Across the world, colonies have been collapsing and bee numbers dwindling due to factors including pollution, pesticides, urbanization, climate change and the global trade in low-quality honey.\u201d<\/p>\n
The PGA said that Member States must ensure that the global biodiversity framework to be adopted in Beijing, next year, really does put us on the path to “living in harmony with nature”.<\/p>\n
The World Bee Day event at the Trusteeship Council is being organised in partnership with Slovenia and the Food & Agriculture Organization, FAO. \u00a0The World Bee Day is mandated by GA Resolution 72\/211 which was adopted in December 2017.<\/p>\n