31 October 2011: In an opinion editorial titled “The Clock is Ticking,” published in the New York Times/International Herald Tribune on 31 October 2011, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon writes of alarm bells ringing as the world population reaches seven billion. In this context, he urges the Group of 20 (G20) to show ambitious leadership and offer bold solutions to the current multiple challenges at the Cannes Summit, taking place from 3-4 November 2011.

Ban urges G20 leaders to “pull back from the brink” by laying foundations for a healthy, green and inclusive economic prosperity. He writes that leaders should agree to a concrete action plan, including: investing in pro-poor, pro-growth policies in women and children’s health, food and agriculture and gender equity, inter alia; creating opportunities for women and youth, including through maternal health care and job creation; and taking advantage of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20) to advance on climate change and renewable energy, as well as water and food security. [The Clock is Ticking] [UN Press Release]