Technology Transfer, Data Collection Critical to Mitigating Climate Challenges, Delegates Say, as Second Committee Concludes Sustainable Development Debate
Countries were striving to combat climate change and support economic development at the national level, but greater international assistance was required to achieve the 2030 Agenda, speakers said today as the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) concluded its debate on sustainable development.
Climate change must remain at the front and centre of development efforts, stated Bhutan’s representative, while noting that an increasing number of disasters around the world were “not natural but human‑induced”.
Despite efforts to mitigate that phenomenon, Chile’s representative said his region had seen dramatic empirical proof of the international community’s “lack of action”. Current efforts would not be sufficient unless the international community changed its production and consumption models, promoted renewable energy and prioritized the protection of oceans.
The Philippines had experienced first-hand how recurring and slow-onset disasters eroded development gains, said that country’s representative. Adding that data collection on disasters was vital to mitigate climate challenges, she encouraged States to use the strategic framework on geospatial information and services for disasters.
The international community must build the capacity of developing countries to assist them with climate change and natural hazards, said the representative from Senegal. Small island developing States, in particular, needed technology transfer and the means to preserve biodiversity and achieve sustainable consumption.
In a similar vein, the representative from the United Arab Emirates said the international community must double its efforts to raise levels of social, economic and environmental development worldwide. To that end, her country had established a fund of $50 million to support renewable energy and create jobs in Caribbean countries.
Armenia’s representative said leveraging partnerships with the private sector, international financial institutions, and academic and civil society would be critical in mobilizing investment for the Sustainable Development Goals. For its part, Armenia had recently launched its first national Sustainable Development Goals innovation lab, which served to accelerate “smart development” and functioned as a hub for analytics and policy recommendations.
Also speaking today were representatives of Congo, Thailand, Myanmar, Algeria, Iceland, Eritrea, Azerbaijan and Gabon.
Representatives of the Holy See, International Renewable Energy Agency, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) also spoke.
The Committee will meet again at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, 11 October, to continue its work.
Statements
APPOLINAIRE DINGHA (Congo), associating himself with the “Group of 77” developing countries and China and the Africa Group, noted that the goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development had remained a significant challenge at global, regional and national levels. While significant achievements in implementing them had allowed millions to be lifted out of poverty, the scale of remaining hurdles meant more must be done in realizing them. Adding that such challenges could only be overcome within the United Nations system, he stressed that the Organization played a vital role in sustainable development. Congo had transposed the 2030 Agenda into its national development plan for 2018‑2022, focusing on the economic structure for the upcoming 20 to 30 years. The plan focused on in-depth reform of educational training as well as diversification of the economy in the areas of agriculture, tourism and industrialization. It was important to reform the agropastoral sector to bolster food security, especially in rural areas.
WALLIYA PREMCHIT (Thailand), associating herself with the Group of 77 and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), said her country supported the role of regional and global fora in the follow-up and review mechanism of the 2030 Agenda. She encouraged States to strengthen implementation through science, technology and innovation, statistical capacity and revitalized global partnership. Similarly, she welcomed the report of the Secretary-General on mainstreaming the dimensions of sustainable development throughout the United Nations system. Thailand continued to apply a “sufficiency economy philosophy” approach to the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals, and mainstreamed the objectives into its national strategies and development plans. Recognizing the interlinkages between disaster risk reduction and climate change, her country launched its national disaster prevention and mitigation plan for 2015 to 2019, and advocated for its domestic “Bangkok Principles” to bolster health aspects. Her country supported local communities to localize the Sustainable Development Goals, and maintained efforts to enhance its sustainable ecosystem and marine biodiversity.
Ms. ALDAHMANI (United Arab Emirates), associating herself with the Group of 77, said the Sustainable Development Goals were unprecedented agreements on development at the international level. The global community must double its efforts to raise levels of social, economic and environmental development worldwide. Her country had set up a committee to deal with the 2030 Agenda framework as well as foreign aid, which was in line with its vision for the coming years. The United Arab Emirates had recently set up a fund of $50 million to support renewable energy and create jobs in Caribbean countries. It was a leading force in global initiatives dealing with clean energy and was creating opportunities to enhance energy performance at the national level.
HTIN LINN MAUNG (Myanmar), aligning himself with the Group of 77, the Group of Least Developed Countries and ASEAN, said that his country had been experiencing floods every year because of climate change. Myanmar’s Disaster Management Law and its Rules were promulgated in 2013 and 2015, respectively, and the National Disaster Management Committee, chaired by a Vice-President, was taking an active role in disaster prevention, preparedness and relief activities. Noting that developing countries were particularly vulnerable to the degradation of ecosystems, which in turn affected agricultural development, he welcomed the adoption of the Paris Agreement on climate change and added that a national environmental conservation policy was being formulated.
SONAM TOBGYE (Bhutan), aligning himself with the Group of 77 and the Group of Least Developed Countries, welcomed the efforts to integrate sustainable development into the work of the Organization. Climate change must remain at the front and centre of development efforts, he said, reaffirming that the increasing number of disasters around the world were “not natural but human-induced”. Energy remained a key driver of growth for Bhutan and would remain a priority area in the country’s development strategy. Sustainable tourism was another key area in which Bhutan was innovating, as for instance, by putting in place a fee per tourist which was used to implement development activities around the country.
MEHDI REMAOUN (Algeria), associating himself with the Group of 77, stressed the importance of combating desertification. Welcoming the adoption of the Ordos Declaration, an international commitment encouraging public and private sectors to continue investing in developing technologies to combat desertification, land degradation and drought, he emphasized that the success of those projects depended on engaging local populations, while making use of diversified vegetal species. Climate change might adversely affect biodiversity and exacerbate desertification, he said, calling for the joint implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification.
SOFYA SIMONYAN (Armenia) said leveraging partnerships with the private sector, international financial institutions, and academic and civil society would be critical in mobilizing investment for the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly for lower-middle-income countries. At the national level, Armenia set up institutional frameworks to secure compatibility of State priorities and strategies with the global development objectives. A national council on sustainable development was formed with all ministries and representatives from non‑governmental organizations. A national coordination taskforce on the Sustainable Development Goals, an inter‑agency committee and related working groups produced a framework of nationalized targets and indicators which would be finalized by early 2018. By the end of October 2017, the key national development strategy for 2015 to 2025 would be merged with the national action plan. Additionally, her country launched its first national Sustainable Development Goals innovation lab within the framework of the centre for strategic initiatives, which served to accelerate “smart development”. The lab would also function as a hub for analytics and develop policy recommendations.
NIKULAS PETER JOHN HANNIGAN (Iceland) noted that his country’s development cooperation aims were to reinforce programmes for the eradication of poverty based on sustainable development and the reinforcement of human capital. Iceland placed particular emphasis on human rights, gender equality, and peace and security. Further, his country sought to support specialized projects that addressed land restoration, oceans, renewable energy and gender equality. Sustainable Development Goal 15.3 on combatting desertification and restoring degraded land and soil was central to eradicating hunger. The sustainable use of marine resources, through successful science-based management, remained one of the backbones of the Icelandic economy and a clear focus in the nation’s foreign policy. Iceland also placed great importance on global access to clean and renewable energy as key to tackling climate change and combatting poverty.
AMANUEL GIORGIO (Eritrea), associating himself with the Group of 77, said policy measures adopted by his country included the ratification of three environmental conventions and the elaboration of national strategies to meet international commitments. His country remained committed to land degradation neutrality as it related to national economic development. Efforts were undertaken to promote soil and water conservation, resource conservation and low-external input techniques for production and resilience. Similarly, he urged for the creation of strong partnerships to implement the land degradation neutrality targets. Eritrea remained one of the countries affected by cyclical droughts and land degradation, desertification and climate variability. To address food insecurity, Eritrea had mobilized communities at the grass-roots level to work on soil and water conservation and forestation activities. His country also constructed micro- and macro‑dams, and transformed subsistence agricultural production to irrigated farming. At the regional level, Eritrea joined the Great Green Wall Initiative to halt the advancement of the Sahara.
JORGE IGLESIAS MORI (Chile), associating himself with the Group of 77 and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), said his country continued efforts to combat climate change. He recalled the many global agreements to reduce emissions, limit global temperature increase and mitigate devastating consequences of climate change. Despite efforts, his region saw dramatic empirical proof of the international community’s “lack of action”. To meet challenges, he called for urgent climate financing and financing for developing countries. For its part, Chile bolstered its national contributions and supported existing mechanisms, such as the Green Fund and partnerships that addressed climate deterioration. He said that current efforts would not be sufficient unless the international community changed its production and consumption models, promoted renewable energy and prioritized the protection of oceans.
ABDOULAYE BARRO (Senegal), associating himself with the Group of 77 and the Group of Least Developed Countries, said the international community must change its vision, focus and paradigms and develop strategies targeting performance in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. The Goals could not transform the world without policies to advance sustainable economic growth, especially agriculture and energy. A new approach was required to coordinate implementation of flagship programmes like the Paris Agreement. The international community must build the capacity of developing countries, especially small island developing States, to assist them with climate change and natural hazards. Small islands also needed technology transfer and the means to preserve biodiversity and achieve sustainable consumption. Senegal had transformed its systems of production to assist the most vulnerable and restructured its national polities to combat poverty, prioritizing women and youth.
MARIA ANGELA PONCE (Philippines), associating herself with ASEAN and the Group of 77, stressed that resilience and disaster risk reduction and management must be high priorities for the international community. The Philippines had experienced first-hand how recurring and slow-onset disasters eroded development gains. Adding that data collection on disasters was also vital, she encouraged States to use the strategic framework on geospatial information and services for disasters. She also noted that conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity could significantly contribute to disaster risk reduction. Additional impetus and resources were needed to protect traditional knowledge, innovations and practices, and strengthened capacity-building for implementation of the Nagoya Protocol on access and benefit-sharing. She stressed the need for climate action, as natural hazards were increasingly becoming “unnatural” or “manmade”. Biodiversity was under threat and the shift to renewable energy had become an imperative.
ILKIN HAJIYEV (Azerbaijan) noted that his nation had launched a national programme which aimed at transitioning the country from a traditional economy towards a knowledge-based economy. Azerbaijan was in the process of fully integrating the Sustainable Development Goals framework into its national development plan, and to that end, the National Coordination Council for Sustainable Development had been established to streamline the relevant activities and ensure better coordination among all stakeholders. Climate change was a global challenge that did not respect national borders, affecting public health, food and water, migration, and peace and security. National efforts towards sustainable development required global partnerships and the contributions of all relevant stakeholders across all sectors.
BERNARDITO CLEOPAS AUZA, Permanent Observer of the Holy See, said that sustainable consumption and production patterns should address the linkages of all peoples across the supply chain in our “global interdependent world”. The lack of environmental sustainability overwhelmed all nations, particularly small island States which lacked access for aid and rescue workers. The Holy See supported capacity- and resilience‑building initiatives, especially in the least developed countries and small island States. Africa also experienced severe drought and desertification, he continued, which threatened regional security and sustainability. He called for charity and justice, and an ecological conversion at all levels. Technology and aid alone could not solve the global problems, he said, but the international community must also pursue an honest re‑examination of the inequitable economic systems. Noting that “the world is a gift”, he underlined the importance of intergenerational solidarity in securing sustainable development and long-term care for the environment.
YERA ORTIZ DE URBINA, International Renewable Energy Agency, highlighted that recent natural hazards were powerful reminders of why the international community needed to continue strengthening global efforts to address climate change and sustainable development. In that context, the ongoing energy transition towards cleaner forms of energy was an attractive prospect and held the promise of cleaner air and water, as well as a modern economy with more jobs and higher growth. Investing in the energy transition could boost global gross domestic product (GDP) to the equivalent of almost $19 trillion in increased economic activity between today and 2050. Actions taken today would have an impact on economies and societies for decades to come. Understanding different pathways and the role renewables could play was of great importance for planning at the country and regional levels.
DIZERY SALIM, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, said the global community had made important strides in confronting disaster risk. Many countries had adopted holistic multi‑hazard policy and planning frameworks, which had supported impressive preparedness and warning capacities. The Red Cross and Red Crescent had quadrupled investment in disaster risk reduction activities since 2009. Still, the impacts of disasters on societies and individuals continued to be felt in ever-worsening ways. The organization was particularly concerned by the plight of people living at the margins of society, who had no other choice but to live in slums, flood plains, on earthquake faults and at degrading shore lines. It appeared well understood by the international community that better integration of disaster risk reduction into development and economic as well as urban planning were needed to address those difficult underlying problems and make development interventions more risk-informed. However, a strong legal and policy framework was needed to ensure that good intentions did not fly in the face of competing economic and policy needs.
CARLA MUCAVI, Director of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Liaison Office to the United Nations, said investment in agriculture, food security and nutrition were imperative in implementing policy and programmes for sustainable development. Agricultural technologies could promote the efficient use of water, land and oceans, develop sustainable cities, support sustainable production and consumption and address climate change. She said responses must be demand-driven, accessible to all, build on the existing knowledge and adapt to the needs of local communities. To that end, FAO worked with Member States to identify, develop and implement proposals in line with their individual contexts. At the national level, country programming frameworks prepared national priorities and considered the wider cooperation offered by the international development system. Through its climate change portfolio, FAO also addressed climate action and disaster risk reduction through 300 projects worldwide, and supported nationally determined contributions.
Ms. MURILLO, of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), noted that more than 700 million people still suffered from severe poverty. She questioned how such a large population could benefit from sustainable development and live in dignity. National Governments and the global community had been tackling that question for four decades, refining their responses with time. Now they had agreed on a truly universal framework in the 2030 Agenda, which provided a wide range of principles and targets for all to work together on in achieving development goals. For UNEP, integration meant supporting and working with others and exercising its specialized capacities. It considered links and opportunities for collaboration, seeking a greater impact on global sustainable development. The Programme was committed to supporting Member States and ensuring that sustainable development was integrated into all discussions, including in the Second Committee.
PIERRE ONIANE NGUEMA (Gabon), associating himself with the Group of 77, said eradication of poverty, addressing climate change and ensuring a peaceful and inclusive society for all remained global priorities, particularly through predictable financing. Gabon promoted the diversification of its national economy, with respect to the protection of its natural environment. He urged for the mobilization of financing and the development of greater human capacity in partnership with the private sector. Noting that oil prices continued to threaten the economies of developing countries, he drew attention to the detrimental effect of oil dependence, such as greater public debt and lower investment. Gabon suffered from that oil crisis. To address those concerns, his country adopted a programme for “economic impulse” and several budget adjustment measures. The consequences of climate change would additionally require urgent response, thus he called for States to honour their international commitments. Gabon would continue to pursue its domestic public policy which outlined the logical use of resources, protection of marine areas and reforestation efforts.