NOON BRIEFING HIGHLIGHTS

Spokesperson for General Assembly President Csaba Kőrösi
United Nations Headquarters, New York

Tuesday, 13 December 2022

COP15

President Csaba Kőrösi is in Montreal, Quebec.

He is taking part in the 15th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, otherwise known as COP15.

In his remarks to the high-level session this morning, he said quote:

“This is not a gathering to save the Earth.

We are here to save ourselves, our sons and daughters, and many generations to come.

With lifeless oceans, rivers, empty mountains and deserts, the Earth will survive – but our civilization may not.”

The President detailed four directions for moving forward.

1) taking a holistic human rights-based approach to the issue of biodiversity loss;

2) addressing the economic drivers behind so-called “biodiversity negative” behaviours;

3) prioritizing solidarity in financing and capacity building;

and 4) calling for new metrics and measurement tools for verification.

You have his full remarks in your inboxes and online: https://www.un.org/pga/77/2022/12/15/pga-remarks-to-opening-of-high-level-segment-part-two-of-the-un-biological-diversity-cop-15/

 

BILATERALS

Right before the high-level segment, President Kőrösi met with Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed and with Elizabeth Mrema, the Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity.

The President will have a number of bilaterals in Montreal today.

Including with the President of COP15 and Chinese Minister for Ecology and Environment, Huang Runqiu.

 

G77 AND CHINA

Meanwhile, here in New York…

We had the opening Plenary Session of the Ministerial Conference of the Group of 77 and China, on the theme of “Achieving the SDGs: Addressing Present Challenges and Building Resilience Against Future Crises”.

The President delivered his remarks by a recorded message.

He called for an integrated approach to achieving the SDGs, with work across disciplines.

He also urged a louder and more united voice of the developing world. Saying that the 2030 Agenda was off track even before the pandemic, but that things have gone from bad to worse.

You have his full remarks in your inboxes and online: https://www.un.org/pga/77/2022/12/15/pga-remarks-to-g-77-ministerial-conference/

 

GENERAL ASSEMBLY

This afternoon, the General Assembly will consider reports of the Third Committee – the Social, Humanitarian and Cultural.

Yesterday, Member States considered reports of the Second Committee – which deals with economic and financial issues.

I wanted to highlight that Member States created a new International Day.

As of 2023, March 30th will be the International Day of Zero Waste.

I saw this described in one of the media nicely as – an international day dedicated to the ultimate recycling project.

 

CREDENTIALS COMMITTEE

I have been asked when the Credentials Committee report will be out. It’s out. I will include the link in my noon briefing notes: https://daccess-ods.un.org/tmp/3377880.45406342.html

The General Assembly will take action on it tomorrow at 3PM ET.

 

INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES

As you know, starting at 10AM ET is the launch of the International Decade of Indigenous Languages.

Speakers will include representatives from the UN Secretariat, UNESCO, and the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues.

 

QUESTION

The Spokesperson was asked when the General Assembly would consider the Fourth Committee’s resolution on ICJ? The Spokesperson replied that given the financial implications, the Fifth Committee need first review the draft. It would then go to the General Assembly at the end of December, at the time that the budget is discussed.