Addressing the United Nations Security Council meeting on the impacts of climate-related disasters on international peace and security on Friday, Eshagh Al Habib said climate-related disasters should be pursued in the relevant fora, i.e. the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council and the like, and not the Security Council which has neither the legal competence nor technical capacity to address this issue.
“While the Council has not even been able to fully address certain serious conflicts, its insistence on delving into issues that are not proven to threaten international peace and security is incomprehensible,” he added.
Following is the text of Al Habib’s speech at the UNSC meeting:
Mr. President,
I thank you for convening this meeting.
The frequency, scope, speed and severity of climate-related disasters are a source of deep concern.
These disasters occur almost everywhere, both in developed and developing countries.
Their impact on the lives of people is, however, unbelievably different.
According to one of the latest publications of the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, as a result of such disasters in the past 20 years, people in the poorest nations were more than seven times more likely to die and more than six times more likely to be injured than equivalent populations in the richest nations.
This alone proves that our efforts must be aimed at reducing the number of deaths and injuries in disaster-affected areas.
We should also vigorously strive to address climate change, thus contributing to the reduction of climate-related disasters. This, of course, has to be done based on the principle of common but differentiated responsibility of States as well as the availability of related technologies.
Likewise, we should promote related multilateral instruments and institutions. In this regard, any attempt to undermine relevant international instruments, including through withdrawing there from must be strongly opposed.
We also underline that the developing countries, in particular those who are more vulnerable to such disasters, must be empowered through capacity building. It means sharing the best practices, exchange of experience, unconditional and non-discriminatory transfer of financial resources as well as climate-friendly know-how and technologies.
This will enable such countries to not only contribute to addressing climate change but also be prepared to save more lives in the event of disaster.
Moreover, it will contribute to achieving sustainable development in those societies by removing the barriers resulting from climate change. This is the case in our region, with respect to the sand and dust storms which challenge socio-economic development in our societies.
Needless to say, capacity building efforts should be complemented by promoting regional and international cooperation.
If these are the goals we need to achieve, they should be pursued in the relevant fora, i.e. the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the General Assembly, the Economic and Social Council and the like, not here in this Council which has neither the legal competence nor technical capacity to address this issue.
In Council’s related meetings since 2007, there was no consensus neither among the Council members nor the UN general membership stating that this issue falls within the Council’s purview. Rather, it was considered by many countries as an example of the Council’s encroachment upon the powers and functions of other UN organs.
While the Council has not even been able to fully address certain serious conflicts, its insistence on delving into issues that are not proven to threaten international peace and security is incomprehensible.
Sharing the related concern of Small Island Developing States, we underline that their climate related problems can only be solved through capacity building as well as financial and technical assistance which is beyond the competence and power of this Council. With that in mind, we urge the Council to stick only to its core mandate and avoid making promises for solutions that it cannot ultimately fulfill.
I thank you, Mr. President.
MS/PR