Remarks by the President of the General Assembly,
Mr. Dennis Francis,
at the event on the occasion of World Soil Day
Soil and water: a source of life
Thursday, 7 December 2023
(As Delivered)
Thank you madam Moderator
Distinguished co organizers.
Your Excellency, Dr. Suriya Chindawongse, Permanent Representative of Thailand to the United Nations
Madam President ECOSOC,
Distinguished Participants,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Thank you for affording me the opportunity to join you today, 5th December, in commemorating World Soil Day, designated by the General Assembly.
I should like to commend the Permanent Missions of Thailand, Namibia, and Australia for organizing this event, together with the Food and Agriculture Organization and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, given the extant preoccupation with global food insecurity in the context of sustainable development.
And so I welcome this year’s theme: “Soil and Water: a source of life”, which captures the essence of the linkage between key environmental factors on the one hand and life , our lives on this planet, on the other.
Soil anchors roots, retain water and stores nutrients.
It is the largest terrestrial store of carbon.
Water, meanwhile, is a non-negotiable component of our existence. We drink it every day – every creature and ecosystem on this planet, requires hydration.
While soil and water are indisputably essential to humans’ existence, it is unfortunately that they are not managed sustainably to maximize food production and for other purposes.
At present, Soil and water are the most threatened among our natural resources.
Currently, 33% of soils are degraded, and the regeneration of eroded soil can be an arduous process, requiring up to a 1,000 years to produce a mere 2-3 cm of replenished earth.
Today, clean, and fresh water – found in rivers, lakes, wetlands, and aquifers – is simply inaccessible to a significant proportion of global population.
Indeed, 2.4 billion people live in countries where water scarcity is a daily reality, creating a challenge for successful crop cultivation. Consequently, 735 million people, world over, are in a state of chronic hunger.
Excellencies,
As we mark this important day, let us pledge today to safeguard quality and security of these – our most vital resources.
Let us protect them against the threats of climate change, land degradation, unsustainable practices, and pollution.
Let us commit to collective efforts to use soil and water sustainably, and to unlock the benefits of sustainable production and consumption, which could lead to upwards of 58% more food production.
Colleagues, this requires that we rethink our policy frameworks to protect and restore water-rich ecosystems which safeguard our planet.
Along with all stakeholders, Governments must prioritize the conservation of soil and water, fostering an eco-friendly agri-food system, enhancing ecosystem resilience, and contributing to climate adaptation and mitigation efforts.
It is also crucial that we leverage modern technologies to bolster disaster resilience, including through hydrometeorological monitoring and forecasting systems.
Excellencies,
As announced at COP 28, I will host – ‘Sustainability Week’– in the General Assembly in April 2024.
This Week will feature high-level mandates in key sectors of tourism, transport, infrastructure, and energy.
Each of these sectors has a clear and direct impact on food and water systems – necessitating that these concerns be comprehensively addressed.
I look forward to highest possible level of participation by your delegations during Sustainability Week; and I hope that your reflections here today will inform our resolve to achieve sustainability for all.
I thank you.
