Hungary

Statement by His Excellency Mr. János Áder, President of Hungary

There are other areas of life as well, where we have known for years what should be done.  
 
Take water for example. We have already spoken several times here at the UN about the water crisis unfolding in front of our eyes. About the drama of too much water and too little water, or contaminated water. And we all know that the majority of the UN’s sustainability goals are unattainable in the absence of appropriate water policy.  
 
Why? Because until every seventh person on Earth is denied access to uncontaminated water, we have no hope for increased productivity in the impoverished regions of the world.  
 
Until we are unable to prevent water contamination, we will still have half of all hospital beds occupied with patients suffering from diseases caused by contamination.  
 
Until we are able to create the conditions for sustainable water management, we will not have safer food production and we will not be able to feed those already living on the planet, let alone the newly born.  
 
Until we are able to transform our energy generation systems, the coal fuelled power plants will not only increase CO2 emissions, but will also consume water that would be enough to supply one billion people.  
 
But let’s see another example. We have long been saying that the lifestyle we have created is unsustainable. Every year we are consuming more resources than what nature can replenish. It is absurd to believe that we have unlimited supplies of natural resources – water, soil, diverse biological environment – available cheaply and until the end of time.  
 
What is the solution? Circular economy. Where waste – glass, plastic, metals etc. – are not garbage but recyclable raw materials.  
 
How many times have we discussed this? Yet, we have achieved little progress.  
 
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, Hungary has never condoned fruitless debates, we have always stood up for action. This is why we have organized the Budapest Water Summit three times already during the recent years. The success of these events has motivated us to strive for more.  
 
At the end of next year, we are organizing a sustainability EXPO, which – beside water management – will also deal with issues like food production, transportation, energy and waste management as well as education. 

 

View the full statement here: https://estatements.unmeetings.org/estatements/10.0010/20200923/bVdkQECcmuDt/sML6rrc6lnkB_en.pdf 

*The information reflected on this page has been quoted directly from the official statement presented by this Member State at the General Debate 75th Session. The information does not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the United Nations.