28 October 2011
UN Secretary-General Calls on G20 to Step Up for Sustainable Development
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Ahead of the G20 summit in Cannes, France, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called on the world's largest economies to show the bold leadership needed to resolve the global economic crisis and achieve sustainable development, including by giving priority to the interests of the poor and confronting the realities of climate change.

Ban Ki-moon, UN Secretary General25 October 2011: Ahead of the Group of 20 (G20) summit in Cannes, France, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called on the world’s largest economies to show the bold leadership needed to resolve the global economic crisis and achieve sustainable development.

In a letter to the group of major industrialized and developing economies ahead of their 3-4 November 2011 G20 summit, Ban emphasized that even though budgets are stretched thin, the world cannot afford to lose sight of those who have been hardest hit: the poor, the planet, youth and women. He said those least responsible for “this turmoil are paying the highest price,” and asked that leaders of the world’s largest economies announce specific measures in Cannes to “demonstrate that the interests of the poorer and most vulnerable members of our human family will feature prominently in the global response.”

Warning that there will be no sustainable development or sustainable economies without confronting the realities of climate change, Ban called on the leaders of the largest economies to recommit to securing a comprehensive, ambitious global climate change agreement as soon as possible. He also emphasized the need to achieve sustainable energy, food and nutrition security and protection of oceans, as well as access to energy for the 1.4 billion people who lack modern energy services, doubling energy efficiency and doubling the percentage of renewable energy in the global energy mix, all by 2030. [UN Press Release] [Letter to G20]


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