MEDIA INTERROGATES BAN KI-MOON ON ELECTION OF PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP AT COP22, MARRAKECH

As you may know, last week I spoke to President-elect Mr. Trump and I brought up many issues, peace and security issues, including the issue of climate change. I remain very optimistic about our effort to combat climate change. Look at what we have achieved. The Paris Agreement has come into force in record time. Never in the history of the United Nations, any convention, agreement or treaty has entered into force in such a short period of time. And it also has the highest number of Member States, State parties, 193 [signatories] out of 197 State parties [to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change]. So it has established a lot of records, in fact.

The global unity around climate change once seemed to be unthinkable but now it has become unstoppable. Look around us! It’s not just governments and business CEOs and civil societies have shown their such strong commitment to address and working together. They have mobilized for a better future.

The global business community is now fully on board and moving forward to decarbonize and lessen their carbon footprint. For example, let me just say something about the United States as an example. We are working with closely with some of the largest American corporations on climate-related issues. For example, General Mills and Kellogg have committed to eliminate commodity-driven deforestation by 2020. Individual US states and major cities, like California, State of Washington or major cities like Las Vegas or Nashville, I think they have also pledged to reduce carbon emissions. Now these American companies and local governments have understood the severity of the climate crisis and are moving forward. They are moving forward because consumers are demanding it, people are demanding it and companies know going toward a low-carbon economy, that’s the answer for their business future. Every member of the United Nations has signed on to Paris Agreement. Delegations were not forced to sign. They signed on because they believe that it’s in the interest of their own country, and it’s in the interest of the whole world and planet Earth.

As you know, this is my last COP and tenth COP. I have never missed one and I have been participating on all 10 COP meetings and I have been travelling all around the world. Whenever I was able to see the impact of climate change, starting from Antarctica and Arctic and Lake Chad and Brazilian Amazon River Basin, etc. – so many places, you name it – I have been convinced by seeing for myself that climate change is happening. As distinguished scientists of IPCC have already made it clear several times that climate change is happening much, faster and it is caused by human behaviour; it is only natural that we have to change our behaviours to keep this only planet Earth environmentally sustainable for our succeeding generations.

This is what I really wanted to say. When I talked to Mr. President-elect, Mr. Trump. I raised this issue and I am looking forward to another meeting in person with him and will discuss on all matters of our common concern including climate change.

 I thank you

credit: www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/blog