During his official visit to Finland, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon emphasized the interlinkages among climate change, the food crisis, energy shortages, water scarcity, global health, gender empowerment, and underlined the need for a shift towards a green economy.
15 July 2011: During his official visit to Finland, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon met with President Tarja Halonen and called for greater attention to sustainable development, highlighting that climate change is a growing threat to people and economies worldwide.
Stating that “our old model of growth is not only obsolete, it is also dangerous,” Ban underlined the need for a shift towards a green economy with the engagement of all stakeholders.
In a press conference held after the meeting with President Halonen, Ban emphasized the interlinkages among climate change, the food crisis, energy shortages, water scarcity, global health and gender empowerment. He added that sustainable development is the UN’s top priority and underscored the importance of raising the awareness of the international community. [UN Press Release] [Press Conference Transcript]