Environmental issues and sustainable development

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ video message for the high-level political forum side even to launch the Progress Report on Youth, in New York today:

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ video message to the eighth annual Sustainable Development Goals Business Forum, in New York today:

Regional cooperation and game changing initiatives across the regions are vital to building resilience against future shocks and delivering on the 2030 Agenda, speakers emphasized, as the high-level political forum on sustainable development — held under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council — continued its discussion today.

In Haiti, the World Food Programme (WFP) today said it has been forced to cut the number of people receiving emergency food assistance by 25 per cent this month due to dwindling funding levels, ending support for 100,000 of the most vulnerable Haitians. WFP urgently needs $121 million to continue vital aid through 2023.

Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks to the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, in New York today:

With a third of the Sustainable Development Goals stalled or in reverse, high-level political action and strengthened national plans must be implemented to achieve the 2030 Agenda, senior United Nations officials warned today at the opening of the high-level segment of the Economic and Social Council and the ministerial segment of the high-level political forum on sustainable development.

With only 15 per cent of the Global Goals’ targets on track, a vibrant civil society is crucial to push Governments towards more ambitious efforts and ensure the participation of marginalized and vulnerable communities, speakers stressed, as the high-level political forum on sustainable development — held under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council — continued its discussion today.

As cities grow exponentially, Governments, the private sector and civil society will have to urgently work together to ensure that urban communities of the not-so-far-future are sustainable, resilient and inclusive for all, speakers stressed, as the high-level political forum on sustainable development — held under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council — continued its discussion today.

Moving towards sustainable modern energy will require that renewable sources make up 60 per cent of power generation by 2030, and in turn, will support resilient industry and infrastructure in developing countries, speakers stressed, as the high-level political forum on sustainable development — held under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council — continued its discussion today on how to effect this transformation.

Against the backdrop of intensifying climate change, conflicts and loss of biodiversity, the world is experiencing a water crisis, and small island developing States’ resiliency is profoundly impeded by extreme weather events and mounting debt, making achieving the Sustainable Development Goals more challenging than ever, speakers stressed, as the high-level political forum on sustainable development — held under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council — continued its discussion today.