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Remarks<\/span>\u00a0by the President of Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ General Assembly, H.E Dennis Francis, at the<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n opening of the High-Level segment of Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵEA-6<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cEffective, inclusive, and sustainable multilateral actions to tackle climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution\u201d<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Nairobi, Kenya<\/strong><\/p>\n \n \n \n Your Excellency, Dr. William Samoei Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya,<\/i><\/p>\n Your Excellency, Paula Navarez, President of the United Nations Economic and Social Council,<\/i><\/p>\n Ms. Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the\u00a0<\/i>United Nations Environment Programme (Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵEP),<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO),<\/i><\/p>\n Esteemed Heads of State and Government,<\/i><\/p>\n Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,<\/i><\/p>\n \n Allow me to express my sincere appreciation to Your Excellency President Ruto, and to the Government and people of Kenya for the gracious hospitality extended to me and my delegation since our arrival to attend this auspicious\u00a0sixth session of the\u00a0<\/b>United Nations Environment Assembly (Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵEA-6).<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I would also like to congratulate Madam President of Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵEA-6, Your Excellency, Ms. Leila Benali, Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development of the Kingdom of Morocco, for her steadfast leadership in advancing the pivotal discussions on the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵEA-6 agenda.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n It is an honour to be in Nairobi \u2013 a significant Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ hub and the home of Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵEP.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n My attendance in Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵEA-6 also affords me \u2013 as President of the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ General Assembly \u2013 the opportunity to engage with Government representatives and the host country, civil society, the scientific community and the private sector on how best to unleash multilateral action across the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n One cannot help but feel the strength in numbers today \u2013 and the timeliness of this forum as an additional platform to tap our collective potential and comparative advantages to make a real difference in reviving our strained multilateral system.<\/p>\n \n Excellencies,<\/i><\/p>\n \n We are, without doubt, at a critical moment for the planet \u2013 and for the\u00a0unity of purpose<\/b>\u00a0we will need if we hope to achieve our 2030 aspirations.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n For years, we have known that a healthy environment is both an\u00a0essential requirement<\/b>\u00a0for, and\u00a0key enabler<\/b>\u00a0of, a more safe, just, and prosperous tomorrow.<\/p>\n \n Yet, we are woefully off track in meeting the Sustainable Development Goals \u2013 the only comprehensive blueprint that was designed to offer ambitious targeted solutions to address the converging challenges of our day by 2030.<\/p>\n \n At the\u00a02023 SDG Summit<\/b>, world leaders acknowledged this reality, and pledged to accelerate progress\u00a0across<\/b>\u00a0all the SDGs \u2013 including by tackling environmental issues.<\/p>\n \n In the landmark political declaration adopted in September, the world leaders called for\u00a0stronger implementation<\/b>\u00a0of the\u00a0United Nations<\/span>\u00a0Framework Convention on Climate Change (Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵFCCC) and the Paris Agreement \u2013 especially in the areas of mitigation, adaptation and means of implementation.<\/p>\n \n They vowed to take urgent action to\u00a0halt and to reverse biodiversity loss<\/b>\u00a0\u2013 including by ensuring the\u00a0fair and equitable sharing of benefits<\/b>\u00a0from genetic resource use.<\/p>\n \n And importantly, they acknowledged the serious threats posed by\u00a0plastic, air and chemical pollution<\/b>\u00a0\u2013 expressing firm support for an international legally binding instrument on\u00a0plastic pollution<\/b>.<\/p>\n \n This is groundbreaking work that is already underway \u2013 and\u00a0making history<\/b>\u00a0here in Nairobi.<\/p>\n \n As the \u201cworld\u2019s parliament on the environment\u201d,\u00a0<\/span>the\u00a0United Nations Environment Assembly is supremely well suited to advance these priorities \u2013 and to bring about the tangible integrated results we urgently need across the\u00a0sustainable development continuum<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n As the international community, we must move the dial.<\/p>\n \n Because the current trajectory is not ideal, to say the least.<\/p>\n \n The global temperature has risen 1.5 degrees over a 12-month period \u2013 for the first time on record.<\/p>\n \n Plastic particulates have been found in every ecosystem on the planet.<\/p>\n \n As Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵEP and other researchers have long warned \u2013 if we do nothing \u2013 the volume of plastic production will continue to spiral out of control; and by 2050 there will be more plastic at oceans than fish.<\/p>\n \n And biodiversity is degrading at the fastest rate in history, while air, water and land pollution are causing\u00a09 million<\/b>\u00a0pre-mature deaths each year.<\/p>\n \n I repeat,\u00a09 million<\/b>\u00a0pre-mature deaths\u00a0each year<\/b>.<\/p>\n \n Given that we are confronting an environmental emergency and the consequential need to act with urgency,\u00a0we must ensure that the outcome of this Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵEA-6 advances the human right to a\u00a0clean, healthy and sustainable environment\u00a0<\/b>\u2013\u00a0<\/b>that, it\u00a0<\/b>promotes truly multilateral responses to\u00a0restore the balance with nature.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n And that the Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵEA-6 outcomes bring about a future that is more equitable, inclusive and resilient for all peoples, everywhere.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n As President of the\u00a0General Assembly, I proudly embrace my duty\u00a0<\/span>to\u00a0maximize convergence<\/b>\u00a0\u2013 to create spaces for\u00a0constructive dialogue<\/b>\u00a0and encourage Member States and stakeholders alike to work shoulder-to-shoulder in advancing balanced progress.<\/p>\n \n There are several prime opportunities on the horizon.<\/p>\n \n The\u00a0Third Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries<\/b>\u00a0and the\u00a0Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States<\/b>\u00a0are pivotal occasions to support countries that have contributed the least but are disproportionately impacted by the effects of climate change and biodiversity loss.<\/p>\n \n In addition, the\u00a0General Assembly will convene an inaugural\u00a0\u201cSustainability Week\u201d<\/b>\u00a0from 15-19 April at United Nations Headquarters in New York.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n This high-level gathering, a cornerstone of my Presidency, will feature sustainability focused events in the sectors of\u00a0transport<\/b>,\u00a0tourism<\/b>,\u00a0energy<\/b>, and infrastructure<\/b>, along with a signature event on\u00a0debt sustainability and socio-economic equality<\/b>\u00a0\u2013 all aimed at catalysing a giant leap towards the shared future we want.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n To that end, I encourage all Member States to participate at the highest level possible.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Equally, I wholeheartedly applaud that Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵEA-6 aims to amplify the\u00a0Summit of the Future<\/b>\u00a0\u2013 and its anticipated outcome, the\u00a0Pact of the Future<\/b>\u00a0\u2013 through its Ministerial Declaration to be adopted this week.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I have no doubt this will be an invaluable input for the Summit \u2013 as world leaders who will gather in New York in September seek to revitalise multilateral cooperation and forge a new global consensus on how to deliver better for\u00a0people<\/b>\u00a0and\u00a0planet<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Excellencies, dear friends,<\/i><\/p>\n \n In all these endeavors, let us be clear that we are called to action by\u00a0\u201cwe the peoples\u201d<\/b>:\u00a0<\/p>\n \n Especially all those who have been under-severed and at highest risk of being left furthest behind \u2013 LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS \u2013 and those under-represented at the negotiation table to advocate for better solutions: that is, women, children, indigenous peoples, persons belonging to minority groups, and other vulnerable communities.<\/p>\n \n Translating commitments into meaningful change means stepping up implementation of the\u00a0Addis Ababa Action Agenda<\/b>\u00a0\u2013 by significantly scaling up financing for sustainable development and providing the means of implementation to developing countries.<\/p>\n \n It means forging the strong and diverse partnerships that will be essential to our success.<\/p>\n \n And it means mobilizing and allocating the financial and technological support to implement sustainable, and environmentally-sound solutions.<\/p>\n \n Excellencies,<\/i><\/p>\n \n Without being overly alarmist, and as we chart the path ahead, let me conclude with a quote from Maurice Strong \u2013 Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵEP\u2019s first Executive Director and pioneer of global sustainable development, who once said that: \u201cI am convinced the prophets of doom have to be taken seriously<\/i>\u201d.<\/p>\n \n I am equally convinced, with the desired\u00a0unity of purpose<\/b>, we can and must usher in a new era of planetary stewardship \u2013 one that catalyzes action across multiple fronts, to bring about\u00a0peace, prosperity, progress, and sustainability<\/span><\/b>\u00a0for all, everywhere.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n I stand ready to mobilize the General Assembly to that end.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Yes, we are facing formidable challenges.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n But I firmly believe that if we can overcome the deepening geopolitical tensions \u2013 acting in unison, and laser focused on our ambition \u2013 we stand a better chance to succeed in overcoming the myriad of challenges we are up against.<\/span><\/p>\n I thank you.<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n END<\/b><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Remarks\u00a0by the President of Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ General Assembly, H.E Dennis Francis, at the opening of the High-Level segment of Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵEA-6 \u201cEffective, inclusive, and sustainable multilateral actions to tackle climate change, biodiversity 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