New York – Minister-president en voorzitter van de Koninkrijksregering Mark Rutte heeft vandaag in zijn toespraak voor de Algemene Vergadering van de Verenigde Naties het Caribisch deel van het Koninkrijk aangehaald waar het de gevolgen van klimaatverandering betreft.
Rutte ging in het eerste deel van zijn toespraak uitgebreid in op de oorlog in Oekraïne om de mede daardoor ontstane energiecrisis te gebruiken als bruggetje naar de dreigende klimaatcrisis. “Putins’ cold-blooded power politics – exploiting the most basic human needs of so many people – provides an extra argument for ending the fossil-fuel era even faster than we planned. It makes tackling that other great global issue – climate change – even more urgent.”
“Together we have made pledges aimed at keeping global warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius. And around the world we all feel the urgency of this task. The Kingdom of the Netherlands – which is made up of four very different countries – is also feeling the effects of climate change. From heavier rainfall and worsening drought in the European part of the Kingdom, to more severe hurricanes and rising sea levels in the Caribbean part.”
“Small Island Developing States are at the forefront of the world’s climate-adaptation strategies. And Curaçao, Aruba and St Maarten – the island countries of our Kingdom – are no exception. We are experiencing both the challenges confronting mainland Europe and those which Small Island Developing States face every day: rising ocean temperatures, coral bleaching, loss of biodiversity and ocean pollution.”
“As one Kingdom, we know that water is the factor linking all the great challenges of our time, from food and energy to migration and urbanisation. What’s more, 90 per cent of all climate disasters manifest themselves through water, via flooding, drought or pollution. Many parts of the world are already facing the reality of having too much or too little water, or water supplies that are too polluted. Recent events in Pakistan are a sobering reminder. Devastating floods, disrupting the lives of more than 30 million people. This illustrates once again that water is at the heart of many global problems. It has the power to turn our lives upside down. To threaten our health, our safety, our food, and our living environment.”
“But at the same time, collaborating on water issues presents us with a big opportunity to make the world safer, healthier and more prosperous. Investing in water security should be a top priority for our common future. Because worldwide water solutions are an existential issue, making them a basic necessity for the world. It is our responsibility to place water security at the core of all our climate action- and at the core of our worldwide efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. That is why the Kingdom of the Netherlands will be hosting next year’s UN Water Conference.”
“This Conference is all about action. Action by governments and the private sector, working closely across sectors and regions. It can and must be a turning point. Because it’s now or never. So I urge you all to be there. And in the meantime we will need to step up our other climate efforts, too. We will have to rapidly deliver on the promises we made last year in Glasgow. COP27 in Sharm El Sheikh will be another milestone. The EU member states remain fully committed to a 55-per-cent reduction in carbon emissions by 2030, and a swift transition to clean energy.”
The Netherlands is also working to combat deforestation and to help the world meet its 100-billion-dollar pledge on climate finance. That money needs to go to the most vulnerable individuals and communities. To those hit hardest by climate change. We will continue to provide expertise and financial support to protect vulnerable areas against the elements. Developed countries have a responsibility to help developing countries take the necessary measures.”
“Only by acting together can we turn things around. And that’s why the Netherlands will continue pressing for a doubling of finance for climate adaptation. Half of all the money my country spends on international climate action now goes to adaptation and resilience. And we will continue on that path, because adaptation is in our DNA.”
Van de Koninkrijksdelegatie die deze week in New York is, maken ook de ministers-presidenten Wever-Croes, Jacobs en Pisas deel uit.