By Holy See Mission
Statement by H.E. Archbishop Celestino
Migliore
Apostolic Nuncio, Permanent Observer of the Holy See
62nd session of the
United Nations General Assembly
Thematic Debate entitled
“Addressing climate change:
The United Nations and the world at work”
New York, 13 February 2008 Mr. President,
The ongoing debate on climate change has helped put into focus the inescapable
responsibility of one and all to care for the environment, thereby building
consensus around the common objective of promoting a healthy environment for
present and future generations.
The recent UN Climate Change Conference in Bali has shown that through increased
concern for our neighbour, in particular for those most vulnerable to climatic
change, we are better equipped to adopt strategies and policies which balance
the needs of humanity with the urgency for a more responsible stewardship.
The Holy See assures of its collaboration towards achieving the objectives set
in Bali. To this end, the personal commitment and numerous public appeals of
Pope Benedict XVI have generated awareness campaigns for a renewed sense of
respect for and the need to safeguard God’s creation. Individuals and
communities have started to change their lifestyles, aware that personal and
collective behaviour impacts climate and the overall health of the environment.
While such lifestyle changes at times may seem irrelevant, every small
initiative to reduce or offset one’s carbon footprint, be it the avoidance of
the unnecessary use of transport or the daily effort to reduce energy
consumption, contributes to mitigating environmental decay and concretely shows
commitment to environmental care.
On a more practical side, the Holy See has already taken certain measures to
reduce and offset the carbon emission of the Vatican City State, such as the use
of solar panels and tree-planting. With its involvement in a reforestation
project in Hungary, it will provide environmental benefits to the host country,
assist in the recovery of an environmentally degraded tract of land, and provide
local jobs.
The interrelated issues of environmental preservation, economic development and
climate change can have competing demands on our priorities and concerns. It is
incumbent upon every individual and nation to seriously assume one’s share of
the responsibility to find and implement the most balanced approach possible to
this challenge. Sustainable development provides the key to a strategy that
harmoniously takes into account the demands of environmental preservation,
climate change, economic development and basic human needs.
The use of “clean
technologies” is an important component of sustainable development. To help
industrializing countries avoid the errors that others committed in the past,
highly industrialized countries should share with the former their more advanced
and cleaner technologies. The pooling of resources makes initiatives of
mitigation and adaptation economically accessible to most, thus assisting those
less equipped to pursue development while safeguarding the environment.
Moreover, markets must be encouraged to patronize “green economics” and not to
sustain demand for goods whose very production causes environmental degradation.
Consumers must be aware that their consumption patterns have direct impact on
the health of the environment. Thus through interdependence, solidarity and
accountability, individuals and nations together will be more able to balance
the needs of sustainable development with those of good stewardship at every
level.
Indeed, the challenge of climate change is at once individual, local, national
and global. Accordingly, it urges a multilevel coordinated response, with
mitigation and adaptation programmes simultaneously individual, local, national
and global in their vision and scope.
My delegation, therefore, commends the United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change (UNFCCC) for providing a global framework for concerted
international action to mitigate climate change and to adapt to its impacts. The
almost universal membership in the Convention will not fail to facilitate the
launching of national strategies --- starting with those most vulnerable, like
small-island States and coastal, low-lying populated areas --- and would promote
a more equitable pooling of resources and technology to help vulnerable
countries with lesser resources better understand and assess the risks they
face. The “Bali Roadmap” presents a common vision, capable of overcoming
self–interest through collective action. It demands a global alliance for the
adoption of a coordinated international political strategy towards a healthy
environment for all.
Thank you, Mr. President.
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