VN-duurzaamheidstop Rio+20
Madam President, Dilma Rousseff, of the Federal Republic of Brazil, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, Friends,
You’ve heard it before, but I cannot emphasise it enough: global interconnectedness and interdependence will determine our future well-being. This applies to economic development, but it certainly also applies to environmental issues.
With nine billion people in 2050 trying to achieve a higher standard of living, the environment is under increasing pressure. If the environment is neglected in one country, the effects can be felt – and seen – on the other side of the world.
For the Netherlands, where most of the population lives below sea level, global warming is a direct threat. The same threat applies to the Caribbean islands of our Kingdom, where sea level rise will also have a major impact. To compound matters, these islands are highly energy dependent. Importing energy leads to carbon dioxide emissions, so we are turning to wind and solar power as sustainable natural resources.
But countries cannot achieve a green economy by themselves. We can only turn the tide if we face the problem together – between countries and within societies. Global responsibility for the environment and cooperation with the business community are vital, in partnership with civil society. The Netherlands established a National Platform Rio+20, which organized broad based organized consultations to prepare for this summit.
We need to put checks in place to monitor states’ behaviour. So that the international community is bound by a net of agreements. This is why the Netherlands is calling for a global agenda for greening the economy and making it sustainable.
It’s not about making a choice between development, the environment and the economy; all three are equally important. It is the balance between the three pillars that defines sustainable development. Youth involvement, gender equality and human rights, including in particular reproductive rights, are key to achieve sustainable development. We are looking forward to jointly develop the sustainable development goals.
The Kingdom of the Netherlands will contribute to this, through the private sector and civil society, but also by making our own contribution, too. 0.7 % of our GNP is earmarked for development aid. And, we are working to protect natural resources such as land and water.
The Kingdom of the Netherlands is committed to achieving sustainable growth. The world over. I hope that everyone will take responsibility. This is a unique opportunity, and we mustn’t miss it. It’s like football. You can keep passing the ball, but if you don’t take a shot at the goal you’ll never score.