Remarks by the President of the General Assembly,
Mr. Dennis Francis,
at the High-Level Reception in Honour of Her Royal Highness, The Crown Princess of Denmark,
[As Delivered]
Monday, 23 October
Your Royal Highness, Mary Elizabeth, Crown Princess of Denmark, Countess of Monpezat,
Excellencies, Distinguished Guests,
Let me first express my deep gratitude to the Permanent Mission of Denmark for the generous invitation to join you this evening.
It is my profound honour to address a topic of immensely important as sea-level rise – and I am extremely delighted to see that this issue being increasingly considered at the highest levels of decision-making.
Let me also commend the Coalition for Addressing Sea-Level Rise, its esteemed co-chairs Tuvalu and the Germany and the Champions Group for your proactive approach and steadfast efforts. They have my full support.
Excellencies,
We are here because we recognize that sea-level rise poses a real existential threat to many Member States and that urgent collective action is needed to address its adverse impacts.
For low-lying and small island developing States, no issue, I repeat, no issue is more pressing. None more consequential.
Coastal storm surge, flooding and other extreme sea events are not only destroying cherished lands and uprooting generations of families but also eroding the rich cultural and historical heritage of entire generations, nations and regions.
Without ambitious support, some countries could face total inundation by the end of the century.
This challenge is raising stark, sensitive questions around the future of statehood, territorial and maritime boundaries and the forcible movement of persons.
While domestic policies can support resilience, long-term prospects depend critically on the global community’s ability to prevent destructive climate scenarios.
Excellencies,
As President of the General Assembly – and a citizen of a Small Island Developing State, Trinidad and Tobago – I feel the firm responsibility to stand in solidarity with vulnerable communities as we push for greater global action.
We owe it to all those affected to ensure predictability, sustainability and security amid the climate crisis – and to advance a collective approach that prioritises the foundational pledge to leave no one behind.
To advance our discussions, I will convene an informal plenary debate on 3rd of November, offering a platform for Member States and independent experts, to explore this issue in all its complexity.
We must forge strong partnerships to address the adverse impacts of sea-level rise, pooling resources, knowledge and technology.
It is critical that we empower all people to make well informed choices about their futures, particularly women, children and indigenous peoples.
These efforts build on historic steps taken in recent years.
The General Assembly’s request for an International Court of Justice advisory opinion on State climate change obligations is hailed as a milestone shift towards climate justice.
That the resolution was adopted by consensus – and co-sponsored by more than 130 countries – signals just how far global attitudes about the urgency of climate change are shifting.
Last year’s historic recognition of the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment only further cements the General Assembly’s key role in protecting our global commons.
But, we cannot stop here.
No effort should be spared to safeguard the inalienability of affected Member States’ sovereignty and statehood.
We should be loud and clear that their UN membership is not a matter of subjective debate. It must be seen as a constant; in perpetuity.
Excellencies,
“Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards,” as Soren Kierkegaard, the father of existentialism, so aptly observed.
I take this as a bold call to action.
The existential threat faced by vulnerable countries is certainly not one of their making – yet it will irreparably define their futures.
Kierkegaard, fiercely prodigious, was not someone to sit on the side lines.
Neither am I.
I will continue to take a proactive approach and keep my door open to any Member State seeking to make headway on these issues.
Finally, I thank Her Royal Highness the Crown Princess again, for also rallying us around this critical cause and I look forward to engaging with each one of you tonight and on November 3rd on how we, together, can chart a sustainable path forward.
I thank you.
