Secretary-General's remarks to the Security Council - on addressing climate-related security risks to international peace and security through mitigation and resilience building [EN/FR]
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Mr. President, Excellencies,
I thank the British Presidency for convening this debate and for your invitation to brief on a subject of grave concern.
The climate emergency is the defining issue of our time.
The last decade was the hottest in human history. Carbon dioxide levels are at record highs, and wildfires, cyclones, floods, and droughts are the new normal. These shocks not only damage the environment on which we depend; they also weaken our political, economic and social systems.