I feel greatly honoured to have been invited to address this distinguished gathering in Osaka on behalf of the United Nations Environment Programme. Over the past 30 years we have observed in many parts of the world rapid population growth, mismanagement of land and water resources leading to low agricultural performance, and increasing environmental degradation.
New studies confirm that they are.
For example, Africa's population, agriculture, and environmental problems are strongly linked in a complex nexus that hinders development and threatens the region's food security, health, and natural resources. And just as the problems are connected, their solutions need to be integrated and mutually reinforcing to reverse this downward spiral. For that reason, the importance of this Forum cannot be overemphasized. The stakes are high. They are nothing less than a sustainable future for humanity.