USG Sha Zukang and Climate Change
Climate Change and Development
In his opening remarks at the ECOSOC Special Event on Achieving the MDGs and Coping with the Challenges of Climate Change in New York in May 2008, Mr. Sha reminded the gathering that it was “widely recognized that, if left unaddressed, climate change could threaten the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals”.
He explained that “for instance, the reduction in child mortality is likely to be hampered by the spread of disease as a result of warmer temperatures; efforts to fight poverty and hunger could be undermined by the intensity and frequency of natural disasters and droughts threatening crops, particularly in Africa; time spent by girls fetching water, one of the main reasons for failure of girls to attend school, is likely to increase even further as water resources become scarcer.”
He added that “infrastructure, which is critical for development, will be more prone to damage by extreme weather events.”
Mr. Sha warned that “we could enter a world where rapid reversals in human development, and a drift towards irreversible ecological damage, would become very difficult to avoid.”
Meeting the Challenges of Climate Change
In his speech to the ECOSOC Special Event on Achieving the MDGs and Coping with the Challenges of Climate Change in New York on 2 May 2008, Mr. Sha stressed that “without sacrificing economic growth or poverty reduction, and in line with the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, both developed and developing countries will need to redouble their efforts to reduce emissions, with industrialised countries taking the lead.”
“We will also need to bring on board the private sector which has the practical know-how, technology and financial resources to lead the transition to a low-carbon economy.”
“At the same time, we must also learn to cope with the effects of climate change. Action will be needed on many fronts to reduce the vulnerability of communities to natural hazards, through sustainable development practices.”
“In particular, the resilience of the most vulnerable groups in society will have to be strengthened. While having contributed the least to climate change, they are also the least equipped, in terms of financial, technical and social resources, to deal with it.”
At the 2010 G77 Chairmanship Handover Ceremony in New York on New York on 22 January 2010, Mr. Sha said that “the Secretary-General has [continued to] outline his priority and expectations on climate change” and that “DESA as a whole will support these efforts through, inter alia, our Division for Sustainable Development, which will also support the five-year review of the Mauritius Strategy for Small Island Developing States, and through the Secretariat of the United Nations Forum on Forests.”
The Need for Technological Innovation
Mr. Sha spoke at the opening of the Delhi Conference on Climate Change: Technology Development and Transfer in New Delhi on 22 October 2009 about the need for all countries to adopt and mainstream climate-friendly technologies.
He urged that “the full arsenal of climate-friendly technologies should be mobilized for the fight against climate change. International technology co-operation and knowledge sharing can ensure that mature technologies, like those for energy efficiency, are widely adopted.”
“The sooner countries are able to shift onto low-emissions paths and to strengthen their resilience to climate change’s impacts, the better the prognosis for humanity and the planet. We have a responsibility to find ways to make that happen.”
“Let me be blunt, global climate policy will succeed, or fail, depending on whether it brings low-emission technologies and technologies for adaptation within the reach of poor countries, and poor communities, without further delay.”
