UN General Assembly
2009

27 09-53165 for our environmental, social and economic future, and all of us — policy-makers, diplomats, scientists, activists and concerned citizens alike — have a responsibility to preserve the habitability of our planet and hand over to our children a better world than the one bequeathed to us. It was Aristotle who said that nature acts as if she foresees the future, and currently nature’s auguries are not encouraging at all. We cannot afford to forget that our planet is in a state of environmental emergency. Scientific evidence on the issue is compelling. The socio-economic impact of climate change on the global economy, if left unchecked, is likely to dwarf the current economic recession. Now is the time to speed up our joint efforts to effectively address the negative impact of climate change, while respecting the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and the respective capabilities of each country. Copenhagen will be the litmus test of our commitment to an ambitious, all- inclusive climate change agreement. The urgency of the situation is such that, if I may