{"id":250756,"date":"2023-02-28T10:37:09","date_gmt":"2023-02-28T15:37:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/pga\/77\/?p=250756"},"modified":"2023-02-28T10:37:09","modified_gmt":"2023-02-28T15:37:09","slug":"press-conference-in-geneva-on-un-water-conference-and-other-issues","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/pga\/77\/2023\/02\/28\/press-conference-in-geneva-on-un-water-conference-and-other-issues\/","title":{"rendered":"Press conference in Geneva on UN Water Conference and other issues"},"content":{"rendered":"

Csaba\u00a0K\u0151r\u00f6si, President of the 77th<\/sup> session of the General Assembly<\/strong><\/p>\n

—-<\/strong><\/p>\n

Press conference in Geneva on UN Water Conference and other issues<\/strong><\/p>\n

28 February 2023 <\/strong><\/p>\n

[Opening remarks and Q&A]<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ladies and Gentlemen,<\/p>\n

Many thanks for your attention.<\/p>\n

This is my first time speaking to the Geneva press corps as President of the General Assembly.<\/p>\n

Therefore, very special thanks should go for your interest in the work of the United Nations, what we are trying to achieve in the United Nations and what we\u2019re trying to change in the United Nations.<\/p>\n

This is particularly important because we have an issue of relevance of the United Nations in the eyes of many in the world.<\/p>\n

Let us just think about the war in Ukraine, where a permanent member of the Security Council has launched an attack, war, against its neighbor and the Security Council body that has been created many, many years back, to be the guardian of security is now blocked and paralyzed.<\/p>\n

In the last year of conflict of the war in Ukraine, the Security Council has not been able to take any decision on this war.<\/p>\n

Let me also try to draw your attention to another issue of global significance \u2013 the problem of the global water crisis.<\/p>\n

We are already in the middle of the global water crisis and to address possible solutions out of this crisis, we are going to have next month, from the 22 to 24 March, the first full fledged water conference since 1977. With the full 193 UN Members, with the full UN system and many stakeholders, private sector, civil society, academia, representatives among us to address the most difficult questions and issues.<\/p>\n

We need transformative solutions. We need to change how we deal with water. We need to change the world in terms of water management.<\/p>\n

You may know that for many in the world, the climate crisis is felt as a water crisis. And that in fact 80 per cent of the impacts of climate change is felt through water. Water is three major types of challenges crises. It\u2019s too much, it\u2019s too little or it\u2019s too dirty to use or drink.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, in many cases, the same countries, the same communities, may experience all the three types of crises almost at the same time. The same year for sure.<\/p>\n

The bad news is that we have breached the planetary boundaries for water. It means that we are in the red zone. It\u2019s the first time in human history.<\/p>\n

Just to give you an illustration, the demand for fresh water is expected to exceed supply by 40 per cent globally.<\/p>\n

Another piece of information to that, that 40 per cent of the grain that we produce by 2030 will have to come from the lands that suffer droughts, more serious than what we are experiencing today.<\/p>\n

So what we need is transformation, very significant change. And that would be task of the Water Conference that I would like to mention a couple of words about to you.<\/p>\n

We need to shift from a water crisis to a water secure world.<\/p>\n

From water conflicts to water cooperation.<\/p>\n

From a lack of information to an evidence-based data-supported decision making<\/p>\n

We need gamechangers. It will be one of the major tasks for the Water Conference next month. To identify those gamechangers that will help us make a huge impact.<\/p>\n

In order to make this transformation, we need to base our decisions on much better information.<\/p>\n

We need to base our decisions on an integrated approach, integrating water and climate policies. If we have an integrated approach to water-climate policies, we have to support it by an integrated data base. To achieve that, we will have to create a water information system that doesn\u2019t exist today.<\/p>\n

If we can do it, we can break it down to regional hubs.<\/p>\n

So if politicians, business leaders, leaders would be asked how much water are we going to have in five-years\u2019 time, in ten-years\u2019 time, they should be in a better position to craft an acceptable answer.<\/p>\n

That information should be freely available to everybody.<\/p>\n

We also need to learn how to reevaluate water. It will be a huge task in this conference.<\/p>\n

We used to regard water, on the one hand, as a source of life, on the other hand, as a source of problems.<\/p>\n

And in our everyday dealings, our perception is that water is a source of problems prevailing but I think we can, and we should, change this approach.<\/p>\n

Water can be also perceived and made a driver of economies, as a source of cooperation.<\/p>\n

It should be factored in into the development if we understand properly all values that water can represent for economies, societies, environment and culture and many other dimensions of our lives.<\/p>\n

We also need to understand how we deal with water through trade today.<\/p>\n

There is the so-called invisible trade of water through merchandise services we are shipping around the world.<\/p>\n

For your information, right now, we ship the equivalent of 1,500 cubic kilometers of water around the world annually with global trade.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a huge, huge, huge amount of water without even noticing it. Without take care of it.<\/p>\n

We have also have to think about how we build infrastructures in the future.<\/p>\n

You may know that Governments invest about 2.3 trillion USD into infrastructure to improve human welfare and to improve our economies.<\/p>\n

But while investing 2.3 trillion dollars into infrastructure, with this investment, we destroy the equivalent of 1 trillion USD in ecosystem services.<\/p>\n

So what about if we learn better how to evaluate the externalities of our investments and factor in just half the amount of what we destroy, that would be enough already to solve all water and sanitation problems existing all over the world.<\/p>\n

So in summarizing, 24 March, I hope there will be a Paris moment on water action.<\/p>\n

I hope that it will be a heavyweight political moment for the best of the humanity.<\/p>\n

We have to make a shift from water crisis to set us on a course to a more water secure world.<\/p>\n

Thank you very much.<\/p>\n

Questions:<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

Daniel Johnson, UN News<\/strong>: This morning, you probably know but there was a press conference with UNHCR. They warned about sixth season, consecutive season of failed grains in the Horn of Africa. So that\u2019s a serious emergency. I think we all understand that. And your comments about explaining why water is important, yes, I can grab that. But I think people expect from the UN action on the ground for one thing. So is there any way that you can link the two so that perhaps we can maybe facilitate an understanding of why it\u2019s important to get 193 Member States together to talk about water because for those in the Horn of Africa struggling, the millions who are struggling, they really need help right now. And that\u2019s probably a call that should come from you as a serious player in the UN system.<\/p>\n

President K\u0151r\u00f6si<\/strong>: I cannot agree more with you. The whole set of actions that we would like to put together is called water action, water action agenda. And it is not only those millions in the Horn of Africa, we are talking about potentially 400 million in the world who are in immediate danger. So what we try to do is to galvanize cooperation, galvanize investments in a very, very short manner to address the short crisis, but that will not be enough because with the climate change conditions , so we have to think about not only about the short-term survival but also long-term survival. That\u2019s what we call transformation. So all the measures will go into evidence to address immediate-means and address long-term survival.<\/p>\n

The depletion of natural resources in the Horn of Africa, including the depletion of the water resources are representing an immediate danger. If you extend it to the whole of the Sahel region, it will be even worse, so that\u2019s why we\u2019ve called for this conference. That\u2019s why we are calling for coalitions, that\u2019s why we are calling for immediate action, investments into addressing those issues that you\u2019ve mentioned.<\/p>\n

But we also need to know what the conditions will be waiting for us in five-years\u2019 time, in ten-years\u2019 time in the Sahel and in the broader regions of the world.<\/p>\n

Daniel Johnson, UN News<\/strong>: As a follow-up, in five-years\u2019 time, the Horn of Africa can expect concrete actions and concrete investment. What are you aiming for? What\u2019s the target? And what can these poor people expect from the Summit?<\/p>\n

President K\u0151r\u00f6si<\/strong>: By 24 March, I hope that there will be a strong political commitment by 193 Member countries. I hope that there will be a strong commitment by all those companies that will be with us. And I hope there will be a strong commitment by the science community and the NGO community that will be with us. I hope that the UN agencies will immediately jump on the implementation of the decisions that we agree to take. And I hope that the alleviation of some of the sufferings in the Horn of Africa will be eased in this year. The complete solution I cannot promise for this year. But the solutions, be it in the cities of Africa, or in agriculture, will require much more investment, much more understanding about the root causes and much better management to existing resources.<\/p>\n

VIDEO<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Watch the press conference on demand at https:\/\/media.un.org\/en\/asset\/k19\/k19tmjd7jw<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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