New Zealand
UN General Assembly
Inter-Governmental Negotiations on the Outcome Document of the Post-2015 Development Agenda
New Zealand Statement
Delivered by Angela Hassan-Sharp,
Counsellor
21 July 2015
Check against delivery
Co-facilitators,
As noted in our statement yesterday, New Zealand supports the improved language of the preamble and the declaration in the latest zero draft. The Declaration provides useful context whilst the preamble clearly outlines our collective ambition in a way that is accessible to a wider audience. We have four language proposals to further strengthen the document.
First: As noted earlier by the Philippines, the phrase “fight climate change” in the Planet paragraph of the preamble is vague and unclear in meaning. We would propose using “prevent climate change” instead, given that the prevention of human-induced climate change is a key goal of the UNFCCC.
Second, we support the addition of the term ‘sustainable’ in reference to affordable, modern energy services in the Prosperity paragraph of the preamble.
Third: In paragraph 9 of the Declaration, the reference to “wildlife and living species” doesn’t make sense as living species includes all wildlife. We propose changing the sentence to read “in which wildlife and other living species are protected”. Adding the word “other” would account for both wild and domesticated species.
Lastly: In paragraphs 11 and 16 of the Declaration, we propose adding the words “biological support systems” before the word “planet”. The planet will happily spin through space long after we have consigned its human inhabitants to dust. Other life will also likely persevere. What are at stake are the biological support systems on which we depend.
So for example, in paragraph 11, rather than saying that the planet is at risk, our proposal would read “the biological support systems of the planet” are at risk, and paragraph 16 would read “preserving the biological support systems of the planet” rather than “preserving the planet”.
Thank you.
Inter-Governmental Negotiations on the Outcome Document of the Post-2015 Development Agenda
New Zealand Statement
Delivered by Angela Hassan-Sharp,
Counsellor
21 July 2015
Check against delivery
Co-facilitators,
As noted in our statement yesterday, New Zealand supports the improved language of the preamble and the declaration in the latest zero draft. The Declaration provides useful context whilst the preamble clearly outlines our collective ambition in a way that is accessible to a wider audience. We have four language proposals to further strengthen the document.
First: As noted earlier by the Philippines, the phrase “fight climate change” in the Planet paragraph of the preamble is vague and unclear in meaning. We would propose using “prevent climate change” instead, given that the prevention of human-induced climate change is a key goal of the UNFCCC.
Second, we support the addition of the term ‘sustainable’ in reference to affordable, modern energy services in the Prosperity paragraph of the preamble.
Third: In paragraph 9 of the Declaration, the reference to “wildlife and living species” doesn’t make sense as living species includes all wildlife. We propose changing the sentence to read “in which wildlife and other living species are protected”. Adding the word “other” would account for both wild and domesticated species.
Lastly: In paragraphs 11 and 16 of the Declaration, we propose adding the words “biological support systems” before the word “planet”. The planet will happily spin through space long after we have consigned its human inhabitants to dust. Other life will also likely persevere. What are at stake are the biological support systems on which we depend.
So for example, in paragraph 11, rather than saying that the planet is at risk, our proposal would read “the biological support systems of the planet” are at risk, and paragraph 16 would read “preserving the biological support systems of the planet” rather than “preserving the planet”.
Thank you.
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