‘Time to Stand Up to Narrow, Entrenched Interests Blocking Progress’, Says Secretary-General at Champions of the Earth Awards Ceremony
Following are UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s remarks to the Champions of the Earth Awards Ceremony, in Washington, D.C., today:
I am delighted to be here to celebrate the United Nations flagship environment awards, the Champions of the Earth.
These awards recognize men and women from the fields of policy, science, entrepreneurship and civil society, whose initiatives have left a positive and lasting impact on the environment.
Tonight’s winners demonstrate that every sector and age group can provide the leadership and vision we need to bring about transformative change.
We are honouring Presidents for their leadership, individuals who have faced down entrenched interests, to protect threatened species and pursue scientific research, and an organization that is creating cleaner, greener buildings around the world.
Congratulations to all the Champions of the Earth!
These award winners are impressive in their own right. But they also represent a larger change that is taking place across societies: a growing awareness of the need for more determined and dramatic steps to save our planet. An awareness that we must act urgently to counter the degradation of ecosystems and resources, because we depend on them for our well-being and security.
People everywhere are becoming conscious of extreme weather, water shortages, deforestation, the illegal exploitation of resources, endangered species, loss of biodiversity, depleted fish stocks and degraded air quality.
From Beijing to Kinshasa, from Stockholm to Rio, they fear the disruptions and displacements that will result if we continue with business as usual.
The scientific evidence on climate change has triggered an awakening. Two months ago, people took to the streets to demand action now — and I joined them. Economists are overturning the conventional — and outmoded — belief that change is too costly.
Indeed, there are tremendous opportunities to be had from switching to a greener, low-carbon path — opportunities to improve health and create jobs and markets. The corporate sector is looking beyond shareholder profits and GDP [gross domestic product]. It is realizing that the long-term security of growth and supply chains rests on a clean, healthy environment.
Development experts have told us that the only way to secure the future we want for the poor and marginalized is through people-centred, sustainable development.
It is time for leaders to lead. I was very encouraged by the announcement last week by President Xi Jinping of China and President Barack Obama of the United States on post-2020 action on climate change, and by the European Union’s announcement last month on emissions reductions.
Now we need others to follow their lead and announce ambitious post‑2020 targets as soon as possible, so that we generate momentum towards a new climate agreement in Paris next year.
2015 will be critical for the environmental agenda. We will reach a universal climate change agreement and agree on a transformative sustainable development agenda that will include new goals on oceans and marine resources, ecosystems and biodiversity, and climate change.
Today’s Champions of the Earth are ready, willing and able to lead their communities, their families and their industries towards a more sustainable future. We need their continued commitment, and we are inspired by their example.
Now is the time for action in all countries and across all sectors of society. It is time to put long-term gains ahead of short-term profits. It is time to stand up to the narrow, entrenched interests that are blocking progress for all. It is time to create the best future we can for our children and grandchildren.
A clean, sustainable world starts with us, here and now.