UN: Sustainable energy is agenda for the 21st century

[News_Editor]

UN: Sustainable energy is agenda for the 21st century

2011-09-09 06:19:21 GMT+7 (ICT)

UNITED NATIONS (BNO NEWS) -- The United Nations (UN) on Thursday called on countries around the world to ensure sustainable development for all, saying it is the agenda for the 21st century.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who finished a four-nation visit to the South Pacific, said countries need to "connect the dots" between issues such as climate change, food insecurity and water scarcity, emphasizing that sustainable development agenda "is the agenda for the 21st century."

Ban spoke at the University of Sydney in Australia, the last stop on a week-long trip, after visiting the Solomon Islands, Kiribati and New Zealand.

"We must keep working to fight poverty, create decent jobs, and provide a dignified life while preserving the planet that sustains us," Ban stated. "Above all, that means connecting the dots between challenges such as climate change and water scarcity, energy shortages, global health issues, food insecurity and the empowerment of the world’s women."

Ban noted that all of these issues are linked, underlining the importance of finding those linkages. Climate change, he noted, is one of the greatest threats to the security, well-being and livelihoods of the peoples of the region.

"Extreme weather events such as increased floods, rains and droughts continue to grow more frequent and intense as climate change accelerates," he said. "They not only devastate lives, but wipe out infrastructure, institutions, and budgets."

The Secretary-General also stated that sustainable development such as measures that reduce carbon emissions are vital on their own, noting that they can also inspire progress in global negotiations, creating a virtuous cycle.

"This is a global race to save the planet. But it is also a race to see which countries and economies will forge the path to creating green sustainable jobs," he said.

At a tree-planting event at the National Arboretum in Canberra, Australia, Ban highlighted the UN Environment Program campaign that aims to have at least one billion trees planted worldwide each year.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-09-09

[maidu]

I usually avoid reading anything Mr. Ban says, because it's usually foregone already-masticated bland info - as required by his top banana position.

This speech was somewhat the same as expected, but was not too flaccid. I think the man is growing a bit of a spine.

Incidentally, it's interesting there are still so many who are categorically opposed to considering that Global Warming is happening. Some of whom are on T.Visa and aren't shy about making their opinions known. I watch nature shows on TV a lot and read science and nature mags, and with nary an exception, all the most believable reports indicate global warming is happening. There are a plethora of indications. I can't believe that all those scientists and researchers are lying about things like glacial retreats, increased open water in the Arctic and such. My conclusion is, the naywayers must really be riveted to thinking that global warming is a giant hoax, and nothing, I mean nothing will sway them away from that fixation.