UN focused on bold climate action

The United Nations is working for fair globalisation and bold climate action,  its Secretary General, Mr António Guterres, has said.

He said the world body was also focused on the vulnerable and less privileged in society and therefore, called for more attention to be paid to such people, adding that we are focused on ”the real problems of real people.”

“We need to focus first on those who are farthest behind; indeed, the highest impact comes from helping the most vulnerable,” he stated.

Delivering his message to mark the celebration of the 74th anniversary of the establishment of the UN, he said: “We are pushing for human rights and gender equality and saying no to hatred of any kind. And we are striving to maintain peace, while bringing life-saving aid to millions caught up in armed conflict. The United Nations itself is becoming ever more agile and accountable as we enhance support to countries.

Mr Guterres pointed out that the UN Day highlighted the enduring ideals of the Charter, adopted 74 years ago, saying amid stormy global seas, the Charter remained their shared moral anchor.

Adequate resources

In a message delivered on his behalf by the UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, Mr Liu, the Secretary General recalled a high-level meeting of the United Nations General Assembly, where he called for a Decade of Action that will ensure effective partnerships and adequate resources to deliver the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

 Mr Guterres stated: “Let us be clear: we are off track. Deadly conflicts, the climate crisis, gender-based violence, rising hunger and persistent inequalities are undermining efforts to achieve the Goals by 2030.”

 He stressed the need to act quickly and in a more coordinated manner, saying we need to reorient our economic, financial and governance systems so that “growth benefits all and supports a healthy environment.”

Several activities were held globally, including symposia, discussions, concerts, campus activities for students, and environmental and sanitation activities, as well as exhibitions about the achievements and goals of the organisation.

Climate change

Meanwhile, in Ghana, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration has said that climate change is a reality and it is affecting every facet of human interactions on the planet.

The ministry said it was in this vein that world leaders signed the Paris Climate Agreement in 2015 to significantly reduce greenhouse emissions and limit the effects of global warming.

It noted that although Ghana’s emission’s accounted for about only 0.1 per cent of total global emissions, it remained vulnerable to the impact of climate change and that had manifested in flooding, drought and extreme temperatures.

“The government is leaving no stone unturned in bringing to the fore and educating all nationals about the vital linkage between a clean environment, good health and climate change,” it added.

It noted that the negative impact of climate change had brought about the urgent call to action to combat its debilitating effects.

In a statement to mark this year’s UN Day, the Ministry said Ghana fully appreciated the importance of getting the UN closer to the people in their communities in the pursuit of the SDGs particularly on matters of good health, well-being and good environmental practices, which were essential to the country's development.

Partnership

“The government has fostered close partnership with the UN agencies in Ghana to facilitate their direct engagement within communities.  Over the years, Ghana has played significant and leadership roles in the growth of the UN to maintain peace and ensure global development and human rights.”

Focusing on the theme for this year’s UN Day celebrations, the Ministry, in collaboration with other Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and UN Agencies, sought to highlight the need for collective responsibility in dealing with climate change and promoting good health by focusing on a clean environment.

Activities planned for the day included engagement with students, a community outreach programme, clean-up exercise, a model UN session, media interaction and sensitisation of the citizenry to the SDGs and the contribution of the UN both at the global and national level.

According to Ghana’s Voluntary National Report issued in June/July this year on the implementation of the SDGs, since the year 2000, Ghana had reoriented its development agenda towards sustainable development by addressing in diverse ways the sustainable consumption and production agenda.

Committed

As a member of the UN, Ghana remains committed to the principles and objectives of the Charter of the UN and, therefore, joined the rest of world to mark the UN Day with a clean-up activity at the Nima Roundabout and its environs, while UN staff in the country also organised a beach clean-up. 

The commemoration signified Ghana’s time-honoured dedication to integrating the goals of the organisation into the national political vision that places emphasis on peace and security, human rights, democracy and sustainable development.

This year's celebration in Ghana is being held on the theme: “A clean environment for a healthy living, our collective responsibility”.

The United Nations

The United Nations was established 74 years ago with the main objective to maintain international peace and security.

This body, which came into existence following the devastation of the Second World War, has the responsibility to prevent conflict, help parties in conflict to make peace, undertake peacekeeping activities and create the conditions favourable for the peace to prevail.

In 1971, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a further resolution (United Nations Resolution 2782) declaring that the United Nations Day shall be an international observance or international holiday and recommended that it should be observed as a public holiday by United Nations member states.

The UN body currently has a membership of 193 and its works are guided by the purposes and principles enshrined in its founding Charter.

The international body seeks to encourage international cooperation in the spheres of social, economic and cultural developments, as well as develop friendly relations among nations on the principles of equal rights and self-determination and the recognition of fundamental rights of all peoples throughout the world.

 Each member state of the United Nations is a member of the General Assembly.  States are admitted to membership in the UN by a decision of the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security Council

The main organs of the UN are the General Assembly, the Security Council, the Economic and Social Council, the Trusteeship Council, the International Court of Justice and the UN Secretariat.

The Secretary-General of the United Nations is a symbol of the organisation's ideals and a spokesman for the interests of the world's peoples, in particular the poor and vulnerable.

Membership of the UN is open to all peace-loving states.

The UN system, which is also known unofficially as the UN family, is made up of the UN itself and many affiliated programmes, funds and specialised agencies, all with their own membership, leadership and budget. 

Writer’s Email: kate.hudson@graphic.com.gh