President of the 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (PGA) Abdulla Shahid has called on the world to make the choice to address the global issue of climate change. He made the remarks in his speech at the opening of the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow, Scotland.
In his speech, PGA Shahid stated mankind is facing an existential crisis, and despite having the capacities and resources to address this crisis, the world is simply not doing enough. He noted decades have passed arguing the facts about climate change, the power of renewables and the fine details of monitoring or cost-sharing, yet the world has still failed to act with the conviction and determination required.
Speaking further, Shahid stated mankind is entirely capable of turning this around, if the choice is made to address the problem effectively. Shahid noted he has heard more about climate change than any other subject noted since assuming the role of PGA, with discussions coming from world leaders as well as the youth, civil societies and women’s groups. He added the main message echoed by everyone remains the same, with focus on the urgency of keeping within the 1.5 degrees target, the need to support vulnerable populations, the irresponsibility of not capitalising on technological innovations and the importance of empowering women and youth.
Furthermore, PGA Shahid highlighted some of the points raised by the membership of the UNGA, which he promised to bring to Glasgow. In this regard, Shahid noted renewable technologies are now among the cheapest on the planet and command strong public support, and highlighted the importance of accelerating efforts to ensure that all countries have access to the latest technological innovations. He also noted it is imperative that the contributions of the private sector to net-zero targets are as efficient and impactful as possible.
Further, PGA Shahid spoke about the importance of maintaining focus on adaptation, particularly for vulnerable countries. He also noted green jobs are the future, promising both economic prosperity and environmental sustainability. He noted the world owes to its almost 1.8 billion youth to not only make the transition to blue and green economies – but to also invest in their skills and tap into their energies to make that transition viable.
Concluding his remarks, PGA Shahid stated there are no more excuses to not act against climate change, adding it is time to do the right thing. He called on the world to work together as one global family and use the capacities and capabilities at hand to do what needs to be done.