Opening Remarks to the United Nations Workshop
On Energy Efficiency Global Competitiveness And Deregulation

1 February 2000

I am delighted that so many of you have gathered to discuss the important issues of energy production, distribution and management. It is good to see renowned international speakers and policy makers, leaders of private industry, government, civil society taking part in this workshop.

I also welcome you to United Nations Headquarters. I hope in the next few days you will find time to tour the "house where the world meets."

The United Nations is committed to encouraging the production and delivery of energy in an environmentally responsible manner.

Eight years ago more than one hundred heads of state met in Rio de Janeiro, for the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, commonly known as the Earth Summit. The Summit was convened to address the urgent problems of environmental protection and socio-economic development.

The concepts proposed during the Earth Summit, which at the time were considered foreign, impractical and costly, are now being embraced by everyone as prudent options. Tremendous progress has been made in the area of renewable energy-which presents real hope for addressing the challenges ahead.

The United Nations has established a Commission on Sustainable Development to monitor and report on the Earth Summit Agreements. We also fund programmes to provide advice and support, and to help develop policy initiatives.

The best example of unified international action under the UN leadership in this area has been the widespread support for the Montreal Protocol. As a direct result of this effort the ozone layer is now expected to fully recover within half a century. This is a splendid success story which should reassure anyone who doubts the value of international organizations. It shows that energy and environmental battles can be won, provided there is concerted global action, coordinated at the regional, national and local levels. The increasing trend toward free, vocal and responsible citizenship is being match by voluntary responsible action from corporations and industries, to reduce consumption of resources, eliminate waste and adopt cleaner production systems.

The private sector is also increasingly recongizing its responsibility to bring cheaper and cleaner energy to the people of the whole world. I warmly welcome its support for this vital cause.

More than ever, the peoples of the world face common challenges which they can only meet by working together. And that is why we have the United Nations. Through the United Nations, we are working together for healthy and balanced development and to make clean air and water available to everyone. The United Nations' agenda is your agenda. If we pool our efforts and have faith in our abilities, the future can be one of hope and opportunity.

In that spirit I wish you a successful and memorable workshop.