Remarks by the President of the General Assembly,
Mr. Dennis Francis,
at the Closing of the Global stocktaking marking the completion of the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Decade of Sustainable Energy for All to further accelerate the implementation of SDG 7 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
19 April 2024
[As Prepared for Delivery]
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Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Allow me to express my sincere appreciation to our esteemed guests and speakers for participating in today¡¯s thematic debates, as well as for the active participation by all in the global stocktaking.
Throughout the day, we have heard of both progresses made, and challenges encountered during the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Decade of Sustainable Energy for All.
We have also learnt of best practices; of new innovations explored; and ¨C most importantly ¨C of the collective ambition needed to realize our goal and to ensure a better future for both our people and our planet; a future powered by affordable, reliable, resilient, and cleaner energy systems.
The past decade has seen renewable energy surge in every corner of the globe ¨C albeit not yet at either the pace or scale required to power the lives of all people, everywhere, nor to rein in the worst impacts of climate change.
We, therefore, need to accelerate the transitions to a clean and sustainable energy system ¨C all the while paying attention to different national situations, priorities, pathways, and approaches.
Excellencies,
Cognizant of these unmet needs, I am pleased to launch my Call to Action ¨C with a view to further the acceleration of implementation of SDG7 towards 2030 and beyond.
I call for urgent action to prioritize and implement measures to achieve universal access to affordable, reliable, and modern energy services by 2030 ¨C through extending access to electricity for over 600 million people who are currently without electricity and providing clean cooking solutions to over 2 billion people still relying on harmful fuels.
I call for the rapid acceleration of the global energy transitions and actions towards net zero emission energy systems ¨C in a just, orderly, and equitable manner ¨C including, inter alia, through tripling renewable energy capacity globally and doubling the global average annual rate of energy efficiency improvements by 2030.
I call for dramatically scaled up finance and investment for developing countries, especially by tripling global investment in renewable energy and energy efficiency towards 2030 ¨C paying particular attention to the most vulnerable countries, including the least developed countries, landlocked developing countries, and small island developing states.
I call for efforts to compellingly ensure that no one is left behind by enhancing public-private-partnerships, technology transfer, and capacity building for developing countries in creating an enabling environment for energy transitions ¨C emphasizing also the interlinkages with other SDGs.
Last but not least, I urgently call on Member States and other stakeholders, encompassing the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ system, civil society, private sector, women, youth, academia, among others, through supporting this Call to Action, to follow up on the United Nations Decade of Sustainable Energy for All, as well as to sustain and strengthen international dialogue and cooperation on energy at the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ, including through a potential Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ conference on energy ¨C and to further accelerate actions and partnerships for the achievement of the SDGs and the objectives of the Paris Agreement, to ensure sustainability for both people and the planet in tandem.
I hereby invite you all to support this important Call to action ¨C for a unity of purpose and collective solidarity.
Excellencies,
I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Energy, through Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ DESA as its secretariat ¨C for their invaluable support in organizing this event and, indeed, for leading the preparatory process.
And I echo the Under-Secretary-General of Economic and Social Affairs during his presentation of the report in the morning, that the most important thing is to ensure implementation and practical actions to realize the vision of ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all.
Excellencies,
Distinguished Delegates,
As I conclude, the close of the Global Stocktaking on the Decade of Sustainable Energy for All also marks the close of this first-ever Sustainability Week.
Our deliberations have, indeed, generated useful insights and innovative new ideas to accelerate the implementation of the SDGs ¨C particularly on ensuring socio-economic equality, sustainable and resilient tourism, sustainable transport, infrastructure connectivity, and energy.
I would like to thank all participants and delegations for their many and fulsome contributions to the discussions throughout this milestone Week of my Presidency.
I am hopeful that these conversations will continue ¨C and drive decisive action and meaningful progress at the Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States, in Antigua in May, as well as the Summit of the Future, in September.
Excellencies, dear colleagues, I thank you once more and ask that you remember to Choose Sustainability.
I thank you.
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