3 November 2008: The UN General Assembly (UNGA) debated the
Report of the Economic and Social Council for 2008 (document A/63/3 and
A/63/255), and the report of the Secretary-General on the Role of the Economic
and Social Council in the integrated and coordinated implementation of and
follow-up to the outcomes of the major United Nations conferences and summits,
in the light of relevant General Assembly resolutions, including resolution
61/16 (document A/63/63-E/2008/77).

Leo Merores (Haiti), President of the
Economic and Social Council, presented the Report of the Council, and explained
that the 2008 Ministerial Review had focused on sustainable development, which
had, inter alia, advanced the ongoing work on climate change. He also recalled
that the 2008 High-level Segment ended with the adoption of the Ministerial
Declaration, which had underscored the need for urgent and collective action to
address the global challenges such as the financial, food and energy crises,
environmental degradation and climate change.
A number of speakers called for
dealing with global challenges, such as climate change and the food, financial
and energy crises in an integrated manner. [Economic
and Social Council] [UN Press Release]