8 July 2008: The UN General Assembly
(UNGA) met informally on 8 July 2008, at UN Headquarters in New York, US, to
consider the theme “Climate Change and the Most Vulnerable Countries – the
Imperative to Act.”

UNGA President Srgjan Kerim emphasized
the importance of climate change for the General Assembly, saying that the
issue, along with the food crisis and UN reform, topped the agenda of the UNGA.
He went on to highlight the importance of the climate change for vulnerable
countries, emphasizing two points, namely that “climate change is inherently a
sustainable development challenge,” and the need to “focus much more on
enabling poor countries to prepare for the impacts than we have done so far.”
He concluded by calling for a UNGA resolution supporting a “comprehensive
global framework in 2009.” [UN News Centre article][Press Conference summary][Meeting website]