Afriquenligne
New York, UN - The President of UN General Assembly, Srgjan Kerim,
Wednes day said an agreement on how to combat climate change was now
more achievable for the international community than ever before, PANA
reports from here.
"To achieve this, we need to build on our previous work and
strengthen the ability of the UN system to assist vulnerable countries
build their capacity and capability to adapt,'' Kerim told a special
one-day debate on the issue.
According to him, "in doing so, the system would work together more coherently to deliver more than the sum of its parts."
He
called for stepped-up efforts to transfer technology to developing
countries that cannot otherwise afford it, as well as to ensure
sufficient funding to help the needy.
"We have the technological capability and scientific know-how," the president said.
He,
however, warned that "a global consensus can only be secured if all
countries can share in the benefits from action to address it, in
particular the most vulnerable countries."
Emphasising that
addressing global warming is intrinsically linked to sustainable
development, Kerim also voiced concern over the impact of climate
change on Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Landlocked Developing
Countries (LLDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
Also addressing the debate, UN Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro said climate change placed severe burden on the poor.
Citing
the UN's Human Development Report, Migiro noted that one in 19 people
in developing countries would likely feel the impact of global warming,
compared to only one in 1,500 in the 30 industrialised and
market-economy countries that make up the Organisation for Economic
Cooperation and Development (OECD).
She pointed out that the
most vulnerable risk was being flooded out of their homes, facing
greater health risks and finding access to water impeded by climate
change.
"These trends will be alarming enough individually, but
taken together, they amount to a development crisis unless action is
taken on a war-footing, the world will not only miss the Millennium
Development Goals, we will also see existing development gains unravel
as well,'' she said.
The debate was the third on climate change convened by the 62nd session of the UN General Assembly.
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