UN General Assembly
2017

Climate change is putting humankind in imminent danger. The unprecedented violence of recent extreme weather events serve to prompt us once again to recognize our limitations. Faced with nature unleashed, people will always lose. Hurricanes and typhoons have tragic consequences whether they form in the Atlantic or the North Pacific. The Paris Climate Change Agreement has garnered 195 signatures and 159 States parties. That is the clearest proof of the urgency felt at the global level. Only by promoting global awareness and mobilizing all sectors of our societies can we adapt our economies successfully. Several States, including Monaco, as well as some private companies, have already announced major measures aimed at changing our modes of transport, production and consumption. In general, a change in our lifestyles is more than necessary; it is crucial. The joint UNICEF-World Health Organization report of 12 July on access to water and sanitation reveals glaring inequalities that continue to worsen. Too many people are still marginalized or living in unacceptable conditions.