STATEMENT BY H.E. MR. KHURELSUKH UKHNAA,

PRESIDENT OF MONGOLIA, AT THE WORLD CLIMATE ACTION SUMMIT

(1 December 2023, Dubai, UAE)

Your Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates,

Mr. António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations,

Distinguished delegates,

Ladies and gentlemen,

At the outset, I wish to extend my sincere gratitude to the Government of the United Arab Emirates for successfully hosting the 28th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, along with my best wishes for a successful summit and conference.

Today, humanity is living in the most critical time, having witnessed the hottest year on record for global climate since industrialization. We are facing the urgent need to intensify the global fight against climate change and achieve tangible results.

Disasters such as extreme heat, fires, droughts, and floods are occurring worldwide, causing considerable damage to the environment and human society. Millions of people have lost their lives due to war and hunger, and the number of refugees forced to abandon their homes has been increasing year by year.

It is deplorable that global military spending has reached an all-time high during this challenging period, measured at 2.2 trillion US dollars, as the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute reported.

It is time for us to ponder and reflect on what progress could have been achieved and how much positive impact could have on the development and progress of humankind if that considerable amount of money had been spent on the pressing issues of combating global warming and climate change.

We must never forget that the harmonious coexistence between human beings and nature is the very basis of human existence.

Mr. President,

Since ancient times, Mongols have believed that the harmony of the Earth depends on the purity and consciousness of human inner life. We pursue the pleasant tradition of teaching and instilling an attitude and thinking that promotes living in harmony with the Mother Earth and preserving it in its pristine state to our children from a young age.

Nowadays, with technology rapidly advancing and deeply penetrating human life, our children are becoming increasingly disconnected from the natural world.

Therefore, it is of utmost importance for every nation to pay greater attention to our children, who represent our future, by instilling from their childhood a traditional approach and knowledge to protect nature in their hearts and minds. We must educate them as global citizens capable of wholeheartedly participating in the cause of cherishing Mother Nature.

The right attitude and active involvement of every human and the efforts, responsibility, and political leadership of every nation stand as the keys to success towards climate change mitigation.

The recent UN report warned that the situation is expected to worsen while the chance to meet the commitments under the Paris Agreement is diminishing.

In this regard, we should heed the words of UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who emphasized it as "A canyon littered with broken promises, broken lives, and broken records. All of this signifies a failure of leadership, a betrayal of the vulnerable, and a massive missed opportunity."

If countries around the world can unite with a shared commitment to a healthy Mother Earth and consolidate their efforts in solidarity, mutual understanding, and collaboration, the fight against climate change can be more effectively pursued, preventing the Sustainable Development Goals from slipping away.

In implementing the targets outlined in their Nationally Determined Contribution, Mongolia has emerged as one of the first countries to adopt the SDG Finance Taxonomy and Green Taxonomy, both aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals.

In this context, Mongolia is successfully implementing interrelated national movements such as "Billion Trees," "Food Supply and Security," and "Healthy Mongolian" to bolster efforts toward reaching the Sustainable Development Goals.

Soil, food, and humans are umbilically connected.

Therefore, I am pleased to inform you that Mongolia is joining the initiatives, including the "Declaration of Climate Change and Health" and "Emirates Declaration on Sustainable Agriculture, Resilient Food Systems, and Climate Action," to be presented during COP28.

Furthermore, I would like to emphasize that countries worldwide should actively support the operation of the "Loss and Damage Fund," which aims to increase the necessary funding to achieve goals related to mitigating and adapting to climate change, providing crucial support to climate-vulnerable countries, and achieving tangible results.

Mr. President,

The UN report presented in 2022 underscores that women and girls are more affected by the adverse impact of climate change.

Mongolia acknowledges the importance of women's participation and leadership in combating climate change; hence, in collaboration with the UN, we will host the World Women's Forum in 2024 to deliberate on this pressing issue.

I am pleased to inform you that Mongolia has proceeded with preparations for hosting the 17th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in 2026.

Furthermore, I wish to highlight that the UN General Assembly adopted the resolution entitled "International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists, 2026" at the initiative of Mongolia.

In conclusion, I would like to invite you all to participate in the above-mentioned important forum and conference to be held in our beautiful country, Mongolia, the land of eternal blue sky.

Always mindful of the umbilical connection between humans and nature, Mongolia will strive to contribute alongside the international community to protect Mother Earth and mitigate climate change.

May the Eternal Blue Sky bless the humanity forever.

I thank you for your attention.