Cuba USA

Statement Delivered by Bruno Eduardo Rodríguez Minister for Foreign Affairs of Cuba, at the Climate Summit

September 22nd, 2014
Source: Cuba Diplomatic

Mr. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon,

Excellencies,

“…An important biological species — humankind — is at risk of disappearing due to the rapid and progressive elimination of its natural habitat. (…) The solution cannot be to prevent the development of those who need it the most (…) If we want to save humanity from this self-destruction, wealth and available technologies must be distributed better throughout the planet. Less luxury and less waste in a few countries would mean less poverty and hunger in much of the world (…) Use science to achieve sustainable development without pollution.”

The previous excerpt was pronounced by the historical leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro Ruz, at the Earth Summit held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992.

Then, some thought he was exaggerating; others considered him prophetic. Twenty two years later, his words remain fully valid, as confirmed by irrefutable scientific evidence. Urgent and effective measures are increasingly required for the planet before the situation becomes irreversible.

Climate change is unquestionable and the influence of men becomes clearer. The arctic ice thickness continues to decrease; the global temperature is increasing and the sea level is gradually rising. There are various phenomena related to an extreme climate and the effects of the acidification of seas and oceans is revealing. The global emissions of greenhouse effect gasses, the cause of global warming, have not stopped increasing in the last four decades.

In the short term Small Island States are the most vulnerable in facing Climate Change, as it was reiterated during the recently concluded Conference in Samoa.

Finding an urgent solution to this reality based upon our common but differentiated responsibilities concerns us all. It calls for a real political will from developed Countries which bear the historical responsibility and count on bigger capacities.

Mr. President,

The main cause of the world environment crisis, including climate change, continues to be the irrational and unsustainable production and consumption patterns that support the capitalist economic domination system, which generates greater poverty and inequalities.

How could we speak of sustainability in a world where 1 percent of the richest population in the planet holds 50 percent of the world wealth, or where the 85 richest people own the equivalent to the economic resources of the 3 570 million poorest inhabitants, who represent half of the world population?

In developing countries, about 1 out of 5 people lives on less than 1.25 dollars a day, and near 1 500 million people in 91 of these countries live in a status of multidimensional poverty, with concurrent deficits in health, education and life standard, according to the latest estimates.

Meanwhile, 842 million people - about 1 out of 8 inhabitants of the planet - suffered from chronic hunger in the period from 2011 to 2013. The vast majority of them, 827 million, live in developing countries where the rate of undernourishment currently affects 14.3 percent of the population according to FAO.

The responsibility of industrialized countries concerning poverty in many South countries is undeniable. They imposed trade liberalization among unequal actors and financial formulas of structural adjustment. Their agricultural and food transnationals, monopolizing the production, distribution and consumption chain and promoting the production of genetically modified products in major food-producing regions, caused the ruin of small producers and turned countries that were once self-sufficient and food-exporters into net importers.

Climate change will worsen the accrued global environmental problems, including poverty and food insecurity. The lack of effective measures and international financing sufficient to eradicate this serious problems contrasts with the exorbitant and unsustainable military spending imposed on the world, which by 2012 reached the eerie figure of $1 756 trillion. A 37 percent of that amount corresponds to the United States alone.

Tackling climate change cannot be conceived if we are not intent, at least, on addressing its root causes; nor could it be conceived without a more determined struggle against poverty and inequality. We know the market will not solve any of these problems.

Greater participation of developing countries in global efforts to reduce emissions has to be proportional to the establishment of non-conditioned commitments in terms of financing, technology transfer and capacity building by industrialized countries. This would ensure a just and equitable solution to this sensitive global problem.

Confronting climate change should compromise neither the economic and social development of our peoples, nor the efforts to eradicate poverty, which is a priority of the new post-2015 Development Agenda.

This High-Level Event should support the intergovernmental efforts carried out under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. It is in this context – with the participation of all States Parties – where the negotiations of the new agreement we expect to adopt next year should take place. Such agreement would have to be based on the principles of the Convention and to include both mitigation and adaptation.

Mr. President,

Cuba make great efforts to face climate change, despite the limitations imposed on the country by the illegal economic, commercial and particularly financial blockade enforced by the United States Government.

In this regard, Cuba have advanced in its National Programme to Face Climate Change. Such Programme grants priority to measures in coast areas of the archipelago and includes adaptation through other similar programmes, such as food security, comprehensive management of water, territorial ordering, sanitary prevention and reforestation among others.

We have taken additional steps to save energy, in both industrial and residential sectors. We foresee that more than half of the growth of power generation will be produced from renewable sources.

Since 2007, our scientists have intensified researches concerning current and perspective coast hazards and vulnerabilities, paying special heed to the rising of sea level along this century. Cuba is ready to share its humble findings in this field.

In 2013, power generation using water, solar and wind energy contributed to stop the emission of more than 114 thousand tons of CO2.

By 2030, renewable energies are expected to represent 24 percent of the total generation in the country; at present it depends on hydrocarbons by 96 percent. We foresee that more than half of the growth of power generation will be produced from these sources.

Excellencies,

Huge efforts and clear commitments are required. It takes authentic political will of the governments of industrialized States that will definitively share the fate of the impoverished South.

Let us work to achieve and ambitious, just and balanced agreement. Paying attention to the legitimate vindication of South Countries will also be necessary to assert the rights of humanity, including the right to life, peace, food and development.

Thank you very much.

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