The President of the Republic defended this Monday that more global financing is needed to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and that we must make up for lost time in this area.
“We must act. We must guarantee more results and speed,” Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said at a summit on the Sustainable Development Goals at United Nations headquarters in New York.
In a three-minute speech delivered in Portuguese, the head of state opined that there had already been “a lot of wasted time, too much time” in achieving the 17 goals set out in the so-called 2030 Agenda.
The 17 goals include eradicating poverty and hunger, reducing inequality, clean and affordable energy and action on climate change.
“We support in Portugal the holding of a successful global social summit with visible results,” said Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.
The head of state expressed support for the “early warning” given by United Nations Secretary General António Guterres on the issue, adding: “We believe that increased global financing is essential for sustainable development goals.”
“We have moved forward with a pilot project with Cape Verde, a project that can be multiplied in other countries, especially in Africa, to convert public debt into investments in a climate and environmental fund,” he said.
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa called on United Nations Member States to present “more results and speed” in fulfilling their respective national roadmaps to achieve the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, making them “more resilient, fairer and greener”.
“Better able to prevent the risks of disasters, more inclusive, more advocates of women’s rights, solidarity between generations, integration of migrants and the participation of youth,” he added.
As for Portugal, the President of the Republic highlighted the steps being taken in the energy sector: the commitment to achieve carbon neutrality by 2045, increasing the use of renewable energy sources to 60% by 2030 and to 80% of electricity production from renewable energy sources. energy sources in 2026.
“We draw attention to the importance of the link between the climate and the oceans, for the reduction of catastrophes, for preventive civil protection, for the integrated system to combat inequalities caused by catastrophes,” he added.
At the end of his intervention he stated: “We cannot cheat the inheritance for future generations. It is our duty to fulfill the promise of the 2030 Agenda, on behalf of humanity and the planet. We cannot fail, we will not fail. “.
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa arrived in New York on Sunday evening to participate in the 78th session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly.
Source: DN
