Speech by Achim Steiner,
UN Under Secretary General and Executive Director
UN Environment Programme, to the Plenary of
the UNFCCC in Bali, Indonesia.
Bali, Indonesia, 12 December 2007 - Mr Secretary
General, Honorable Presidents and Prime Ministers,
COP President, Executive Secretary of the
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change, Heads of Agencies and UN bodies, ladies
and gentlemen, dear colleagues and friends,
In 2007 climate change is understood as an
environmental change phenomenon but one that
has profound economic and social-indeed security-implications.
The reports of the Intergovernmental Panel
on Climate Change (IPCC), established by UNEP
and the World Meteorological Organisation
(WMO) in 1998, have transformed the scientific
and political landscape- this year and forever.
We are facing a challenge of extraordinary
scale and of pace.
But the IPCC underlines that we are also
facing an extraordinary opportunity if only
we can grasp it.
An opportunity of moving towards more intelligent
and sustainable consumption and production
patterns.
Every generation has its challenge-this one,
climate change, is ours.
Ten years ago governments adopted the Kyoto
Protocol. It was a moment of huge celebration
and optimism.
Ten years on the UN can say it has delivered
the structures, mechanisms and creative markets
instruments but there remains a gap between
the promise and the reality.
Indeed we are now faced with ever sobering
impact assessments-ones that may play out
in a far shorter and more rapid time scale
than had been imagined only a few years ago.
It is a scientific reality that demands and
requests an order of political commitment,
responsibility and urgency higher than we
may have imagined only 12 months ago.
The UN is delivering as one in rising to
the challenge under our new Secretary-General.
Collectively the UN has engaged on behalf
of member states in assisting to realize what
a post 2012 emissions reductions regime might
look like and one that reflects the responsibilities
and opportunities unfolding.
The UN is not alone.
One of the defining developments of the recent
years and months is the rate at which cities,
companies and citizens are also requesting
solutions and a chance to maximize the opportunities
for transiting to a low carbon world.
Within the last half hour, Costa Rica, New
Zealand and Norway publicly reaffirmed commitments
to climate neutrality.
Countries of Europe and Asia, of North America
and Latin America and of Africa and of the
Caribbean and the Pacific-join them under
the understanding of the Rio Principle of
Common but Differentiated Responsibilities.
But responsibilities nevertheless.
• The multilateral system is certainly trying
to live up to its responsibilities to support
member states and establish a platform of
consensus-building and greater public awareness
around the climate challenge.
• Support via the impartial and validated
science and forward-looking economic assessments
of the IPCC.
• The Secretary-General's unprecedented High
Level Event in which Heads of State committed
to finding solutions to the climate challenge.
• Through confidence-building between governments
such as the accelerated freeze and phase out
of HCFCs under the Montreal Protocol.
And we will continue that support to Member
States in Bali and Beyond.
• In collaboration with the UNFCCC, we have
been building the capacity of negotiators
from developing countries-it will continue.
• UNEP and adaptation or climate proofing
economies-we will focus and distill the latest
scientific knowledge of the IPCC to establish
much needed impact assessments at the regional
and national level.
• Ecosystems will be crucial in a climatically
challenged world. UNEP will continue to not
only build understanding but assist in transferring
'soft' technology on intelligent and effective
ecosystem management.
• We will continue to devise and define smart
market mechanisms to meet the sustainable
energy challenge.
• We need to make progress even while the
negotiations are on going and to be concluded.
• UNEP will be taking forward its partnerships
with the multi-trillion dollar finance and
investment community in order to accelerate
the transition to a more climate-friendly
but also profitable global economy.
• And we will accelerate the implementation
of the Bali Strategic Plan on Technology Support
ad Capacity Building.
• Under the UN Nairobi Framework, UNEP and
UNDP are already assisting developing countries
to gain greater access to the carbon market.
• Ministers in developing countries need swift
and reliable advice on climate proofing infrastructure
up to agriculture and health-we are developing
this service too.
Ladies and gentlemen,
The eyes and the ears of 6.5 billion people
are on this meeting via the medium of modern
media.
At the last climate COP, held in Nairobi,
UNEP and the World Agroforestry Centre-under
the patronage of Wangari Maathai and Prince
Albert of Monaco- launched the Billion Tree
Campaign.
Over 1.5 billion trees have been planted.
This week Indonesia planted some 80 million
trees alone-proof positive that if you give
the public, business and indeed governments
a platform action will follow.
I sincerely believe we are in the final end
game of devising an even greater stage.
One upon which governments, communities and
corporations are liberated to use their ingenuity
and entrepreneurialism in order to realize
a low carbon and climate proofed world.
One in which we may finally get to grips
with the unsustainable production and consumption
patterns of the past.
One in which we unleash the greatest and
most abundant commodity on this planet: namely
human ingenuity.
In doing so we can transform the way we do
business on this planet and not only deal
with the climate change challenge but the
wider sustainability issues confronting current
and future generations.
The science, but also increasingly the day
to day experience of millions of people, tells
us climate change is a reality right now but
also an opportunity that we cannot fail to
take.
So why not take it now. And if not here,
where? If not now, when?
