Remarks by the President of the 78th session of the General Assembly,

H.E. Mr. Dennis Francis,

at the opening of the High-Level Breakfast on “Harnessing Climate Mobility for Adaptation and Resilience”

[As Delivered]

20 September 2023

Excellencies,

Distinguished Guests,

It is an honour and privilege to address this august gathering, of which I am delighted to co-host.

And it is a propitious occasion indeed to be in a room full of leaders who are on the frontlines of climate change – from the Caribbean, Africa and Middle East to Latin America, Scandinavia, and the Pacific.

We are here because we have one thing in common: the climate crisis is fundamentally altering the fabric of our societies.

Homes are becoming uninhabitable.

Millions are on the move.

And precious cultural heritage – nurtured over centuries – is gradually slipping away.

By 2050, estimates show that over 200 million people could be forced to leave their homes due to the adverse impacts of climate change.

This crisis is threatening to increase loss and damage.

It is eroding the very cohesion of our communities, from East to West and North to South.

We cannot sit idly by while our seas rise, our air becomes clogged and once plentiful lands that gave life to generations past degrade before they can nurture the next.

We must recognise the magnitude of the forces at play – and find real solutions that serve both people and planet.

Excellencies,

We know too well that developing countries – especially small island developing States – are suffering most from the deleterious effects of this crisis.

Yet, they have contributed the least to it.

Women and girls, young people, persons living with disabilities and indigenous peoples are among those who are particularly at highest risk.

As we approach the first global stocktake at COP28, let us scale up our ambition to achieve the Paris promise.

COP28 must drive accelerated action across the spectrum of mitigation, adaptation and means of implementation.

Timely and adequate mobilization of resources for climate finance is imperative.

Focus must shift towards building resilience, taking decisions that are risk-informed and actions that place people at the centre of all that we do.

This will be especially important in frontline communities.

Excellencies,

Today’s climate mobility summit is more than just another high-level event.

It is a testament to our shared vision for a future anchored in adaptation and resilience.

Let us come up with integrated and action-oriented solutions:

  • How can we re-imagine local, national, regional policies to anticipate risks, prioritize investments and enable adaptive climate mobility?
  • How do we roll out early warning systems and climate-related data and information services in ways that tap into the traditional knowledge and cultural heritage of our communities?
  • How do we channel climate finance towards potential climate mobility hot spots in ways that better support the adaptation of skills and livelihoods?

 

At the end of the day, these questions are about: Dignity. Solidarity. Justice.

Answering them will require a bottom up that stretches across the whole of our societies.

We must involve local authorities, civil society, the private sector, the scientific community, and academia in finding actionable solutions, while always keeping people at the centre of our response.

Excellencies,

It is absolutely critical that we get this right.

I invite you to rise to this existential challenge.

I also encourage the UN system to rally in support of national efforts.

My Office will work closely with the Global Centre for Climate Mobility to ensure that people-centred climate action is at the core of our efforts and fully elevated in the international agenda.

When done right, climate mobility can offer avenues for growth, adaptation, and shared prosperity.

Embracing this journey together is not just a choice.

It is an imperative for our collective resilience.

Thank you.