Without Properly Addressing Climate Change, Sustainable Development Goals Cannot Be Fully Implemented, Secretary-General Says at African Ministerial Event

Following are UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s remarks at the meeting of the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment, in Paris on 6 December:

I am grateful for this opportunity to engage with you at this critical time in the negotiations.  I will give very brief opening remarks but mostly I am here to listen to you.

I value your frank reflections on the status of the negotiations and on Africa’s priorities.  I believe COP21 remains on track to achieve our common objective of reaching a meaningful universal climate agreement.  Generally, we see a very positive mood and goodwill prevailing around the COP21 process.

As I said last week, Africa has an enormous stake in the Conference’s success.  Your personal engagement and ownership are essential to securing the ambitious agreement that Africa’s people and the entire world need.

Already, your leadership has helped make 2015 a year of opportunity.  In July, we adopted the Addis Ababa Action Agenda on Financing for Development.  At the historic gathering in New York in September, we adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the 17 SDGs [Sustainable Development Goals].  Now, here in Paris, Governments have the opportunity to secure a global climate change agreement that can pave the way towards a safer, healthier, more prosperous and sustainable future.

Climate change may be just one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, but without addressing it properly, all remaining 16 goals cannot be fully implemented.  It is critically important that we have a vision implemented in Paris.

Africa is particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change.  Much of its economy depends on a climate-sensitive natural resource base, including rain-fed subsistence agriculture.  This is an area of great opportunity for adaptation and mitigation.  Some of your Governments are already encouraging agricultural practices that are adapted to climate change and are reducing emissions.

On the other hand, disruptions in food or water supplies pose serious risks, not only for your economies but also for political stability, particularly in fragile States.  I am encouraged by the strong contribution Africa is making, against this challenging backdrop, to shift the narrative on climate action from burden-sharing to opportunity-sharing.

Earlier this week, I had the pleasure of joining President [Abdel Fattah] Al-Sisi, President [Francois] Hollande and other leaders to launch the African Adaptation Initiative and the African Renewable Energy Initiative.  These two initiatives clearly demonstrate Africa’s leadership by example.

Through cooperative action, countries and regions can accelerate the transformation to low-emissions climate-resilient economies that meet the development needs of citizens in a sustainable manner.

I also commend Africa’s commitment to speaking with one voice in the negotiations.  I strongly encourage you to continue to do so.  United, you are a powerful bloc of 54 nations, and your interests will be better served.

I understand a number of key issues of importance to Africa have yet to find resolution in the emerging Paris package.  Let me list four.  First, adaptation.  This must be treated throughout the package in a balanced manner.  Second, differentiation.  This, too, should be reflected across all the elements of the package.  Third, ambition.  We need to individually and collectively raise the level of ambition to limit temperature rise to below 2 degrees.  Fourth, financing.  This is necessary to support urgent adaptation, capacity-building and technology development and transfer needs.

Financing is of course also essential for implementing your respective national contributions.  I thank you for developing and submitting your INDCs [intended nationally determined contributions].  I appreciate the tremendous national effort involved, and how they are a demonstration of good faith in the global process.

I have been impressing upon developed- and developing-country partners as well as non-State actors that financing is not charity.  We all should understand that financing is a tool that helps us raise collective ambition.

I also appreciate the importance you place on pre-2020 ambition.  We can’t afford complacency between now and 2020.  We must keep and build the momentum.  African countries have shown great determination and vision throughout this process.  I will continue to count on your partnership and leadership.

With that, I invite your views.

Thank you.