YouSaid · the spoken record

Emanuel Mori

lines on the record: 88
first: 2007-09-24
most recent: 2014-09-24
sittings or episodes: 6
sources: un-general-debate

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“We depend on them for our subsistence living and cultural identity as seafarers of the Pacific. The blue Pacific has opened up new horizons in sustainable economic development activities. As custodian of these resources, we welcome the participation of our partners in the utilization of these resources, but for too long we have not received an equitable and fair share of our ocean bounties. The development of our ocean resources is severely hampered by the continuous selfish behaviours of illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. If unabated, these kinds of behaviour will continue to deprive our people and our nascent fishing industries of millions of dollars in revenues every year. The fishing industry is further adversely affected by ocean acidification caused by climate change.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“It would also adversely impact our tourism industry, which depends largely on coral and shipwreck diving. Thus to avoid a major environmental disaster, I am now appealing to the international community for immediate assistance. Twenty years ago my country gained membership in the Organization, just in time to become a part of the movement known as the Rio process. Out of that process, the principle of sustainability became a mandate for development. For the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20), Micronesia and other small island developing States have been calling for recognition of what we term the “blue economy”. As island nations with millions of square miles of the blue Pacific, we naturally have particular affinity and concerns for the ocean. Our ocean’s resources have enormous strategic value.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“Today, the remnants of approximately 60 shipwrecks from that conflict are posing threats to the lives of our people, our environment and the marine ecosystem. Approximately 32 million litres of oil contained in the bellies of the wrecks are a ticking environmental time bomb. Leading experts on underwater corrosion have warned that the shipwrecks will collapse, and when they do, we believe that oil from these wrecks could create a spill on a massive scale, with an impact comparable to the disaster last year in the Gulf of Mexico. Oil from these shipwrecks in my state of Chuuk has already started leaking. Any disaster could have a devastating effect on the environment, our food chain and the surrounding reefs that serve as breeding grounds for many fish species.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“We must complement the action on carbon dioxide by reducing short-lived climate forcers such as black carbon, methane, tropospheric ozone and hydrofluorocarbons in order to prevent an additional increase of as much as one degree Celsius in global warming over the next decades. Reducing these short- lived agents is one of the surest ways to protect some of the Earth’s most vulnerable regions such as the Federated States of Micronesia. I therefore call upon the international community to join this strategic approach to meeting the challenge of climate change. The time to act is now. More than 60 years ago, my island country, the Federated States of Micronesia, drew world attention as a battleground in the Pacific conflict.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“It was also the first time in the 66-year history of this body that a Secretary-General has ever visited any Pacific small island developing State — on this occasion, Kiribati and the Solomon Islands. We are confident that the Secretary-General’s visit will give a greater sense of urgency to the issue of climate change. Climate change is no longer a hypothetical issue but a real tragedy, as we in the Pacific region are already experiencing its adverse effects. These impacts will continue to worsen until countries like mine disappear, unless immediate and decisive actions are taken by this body to mitigate climate change at first evidence. It is imperative that we immediately begin to reduce emissions of long-lasting greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“We respectfully ask those members who opposed the debate and those who are still in doubt to fulfil their responsibilities under the Charter of the United Nations. We also take note of the positions of those who aspire to membership in the Council, and we thank those countries who supported our cause. I strongly urge the Security Council, and for that matter the whole United Nations system, to utilize innovative 25 11-51191 ways to address the concerns of the most vulnerable Members of this Organization. We are grateful for the historic visit by Secretary- General Ban Ki-moon to our region on the fortieth anniversary of the Pacific Islands Forum.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“As a member of the Pacific small island developing States (SIDS), we appreciate the unprecedented action taken by the Security Council as we continue to face the threat to our existence and the loss of territorial integrity and sovereignty resulting from the adverse impacts of climate change and sea- level rise. The concerns expressed by the Council in connection with climate change, in particular concerning sea-level rise as a security threat, is an important step. We cannot but notice, however, the persistent failure and reluctance by some countries to address the security aspect of climate change, even in the face of overwhelming scientific evidence. We believe that those who opposed the debate in the Council and those who doubted the security implications of climate change simply ignored the obvious.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“Let me begin by extending my warm congratulations to Mr. Al-Nasser as President of the General Assembly at its sixty-sixth session. His strong leadership will continue the high standard set by his predecessor. I wish also to express to the Secretary- General my deepest appreciation for his many contributions and accomplishments, one of which is his recent visit to the South Pacific island countries. I congratulate him and wish him well in his second term. Last July, the Security Council took a giant step with the adoption of a presidential statement (S/PRST/2011/15) during its debate on the issue of climate change and its security implications. We were encouraged by that bold step.”
2011-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 66 (2011)
“But we must not lose hope, because the entire world is represented here. The time to act is now, not later.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“Yet, instead of addressing the issue squarely, the United Nations seems to be more concerned about turf and encroachment, as if it were wrong to admit that territorial integrity, national stability and security might be threatened by the impact of climate change, and that human conflicts might also arise as a direct or indirect result of climate change. Just as the IPCC reports, the Stern Review report and the 2007 Human Development Report inform the negotiations in the context of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, a report analysing the potential impact of climate change on international peace and security should provide additional reasons for urgent and adequate climate change mitigation actions. Our future — our environment — is at stake. Our culture and our human rights are at stake.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“The global debate on climate change is predominantly framed from a sustainable development perspective. We could not agree more with that focus. But Micronesia is convinced that, while sustainable development is of paramount importance, we must also be assured of our security and our territorial integrity. We must approach climate change from a holistic perspective rather than limiting it to the dimensions of sustainable development, to humanitarian or technical issues, or to economic or environmental issues. Climate change also has an impact on our human rights. It has an impact on international peace and on our own security and territorial integrity, and on our very existence as inhabitants of very small and vulnerable island nations. Experts have warned that climate change is also a threat to international peace and security.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“Simply put, it means that the planet is in peril — and the islands and low-lying States are, of course, in peril. But we cannot afford to be paralysed. We must undertake an aggressive programme of fast-track mitigation strategies, starting with those that are already justified by their strong co-benefits. This includes the strategy Micronesia promoted last year and again this year to strengthen the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. Our strategy can play a strong role in protecting the climate system as well as the stratospheric ozone layer. Let me make one final suggestion. Tipping points for abrupt climate change have been called the shadow that haunts climate negotiations. This issue is a shadow because it has never been squarely addressed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“Micronesia is especially concerned about climate change and the grave threat of sea-level rise, which can literally wash away our islands and culture. Three recent articles have been published in the prestigious science journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, addressing the tipping points for abrupt climate change, including sea-level rise. A tipping point is a point of no return beyond which an element of the climate system abruptly tips into a new state, with a profound impact on the planet. Examples include tipping points for the melting of glaciers and snow pack from the Tibetan Plateau — the headwaters of most of the rivers in Asia — and the disintegration of the Greenland and West Antarctica ice sheets, which will cause metres of sea-level rise. The news is startling.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“Our task remains difficult, but we are encouraged by the recent decision of the General Assembly and look forward to the beginning of the process of intergovernmental negotiations. Among other things, we reiterate our support for the expansion of both membership categories and reaffirm our long-standing view that Japan and India, from the Asian Group, should become permanent members of a reformed Security Council. We also renew our support for Germany, from Western Europe. 3 08-51851 In the attainment of the international development goals, there is no single issue that presents such an enormous challenge to small island developing States, such as the Federated States of Micronesia, than that of climate change.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“The major consumer and market outlets must reduce this illegal activity if we are to effectively eliminate this abhorrent and unsustainable practice. The world’s financial turbulence, as evidenced by the current delicate situation in the host country, is another matter of concern. While the situation emanates from the bigger economies, all of us are at risk, as we are all part of the globalized economy. We encourage the developed countries not to use this as a convenient excuse to reverse their gains in reaching the agreed target of 0.7 per cent of their gross domestic product for official development assistance. My delegation is encouraged by the spirit and determination of the Members of the United Nations to bring Security Council reform a step closer to reality.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“It is therefore of paramount importance that we continue to conserve and manage sustainably the use of our marine and fisheries resources. But collateral catches and discards in commercial fisheries remain a concern to us. For Micronesians, these are critical resources that are of cultural importance, and our people depend upon them for their subsistence living. The international community must help us find ways to minimize and eliminate this wasteful use of resources. Equally damaging to fish stocks is the incidence of illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing. This practice continues to deprive our people of their food resources, while the illegal operators continue to reap and enjoy the rewards from this activity without any accountability.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“In Micronesia, farmlands and inhabitants occupy the low-lying fringes and islands barely a few metres above sea level. Taro patches, which provided the main staple of our people for centuries, are now under threat by sea level rise. Already, many islands have experienced inundation of their taro patches and fields of other food crops by salt water, resulting in decreased crop production. Of equal importance to our self-sufficiency and in meeting some of our nutritional needs is the bounty of our ocean. The ocean is of fundamental importance to Micronesia, as we rely heavily on it. The ocean sustains us, and its resources enrich us. At a time when the world food market is deeply affected by the food crisis, Micronesians are increasingly dependent on the bounty of the sea to provide for their food and for their economic development.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“The General Assembly, by its own resolutions, recognizes everyone’s right to food. On a global scale, that right is being threatened as the world faces a severe food crisis. Already, the cost of imported foodstuffs has increased considerably, and my Government and people are thus faced with yet another development challenge — one that has already been exacerbated by the energy crisis. The cost of rice, one of the main imported foodstuffs, which has become a main staple in my people’s diet, is no longer affordable. My Government, in responding to the food crisis, has encouraged the people to increase the local production of our own crops. But that cannot be achieved without the support and cooperation of our development partners and the United Nations system. The nexus between food security and climate change cannot be overlooked.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“Power outages in our state centres have become a regular phenomenon affecting our medical facilities, schools, businesses and everyday government operations, including services to our remote outer islands, which are reachable only by ships. These setbacks are the result of our inability to procure fuel at a reasonable cost. While we recognize that fossil fuel will, in the medium term, remain a necessity, the current energy crisis strengthens Micronesia’s resolve to call for the acceleration of the development of technologies for renewable and affordable sources of energy. Micronesia recognizes that special assistance from the international community and financial institutions in the area of renewable energy is necessary to achieve this goal. We are grateful to our friends that have over time generously extended assistance to that end.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“Too often, I am afraid, those most affected by the crisis are those Members of the United Nations that can least afford an effective response. More often than not, they are the small island developing States that are also the most vulnerable Members of this Organization. The developed countries may have room to respond to the worsening energy crisis without jeopardizing other development programmes. But for us in Micronesia, we are painfully aware of the strong 08-51851 2 and adverse impacts on everything from government operations to the effect on individual households and families. In a very real sense, the lingering global energy crisis has transformed the energy debate and highlighted the world’s dependence on fossil fuel.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“I wish to offer my greetings to our able Secretary- General and to express the best wishes of my Government as he continues to lead the Organization through the difficult challenges ahead. The General Assembly is meeting at a time of unusual uncertainties surrounding the global economy. The world financial situation and the double threat posed by the fuel and food crises impose additional strain on all of us and negatively impact our efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and our pursuit of sustainable development. The security of our island countries remains under threat by the effects of climate change. The fuel crisis is a major challenge to the Members of this Organization. There are few countries in this world that are left unscathed by the worldwide fuel crises.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“I am honoured by this opportunity to address the General Assembly at its sixty-third session. This great institution plays a vital role in the development process of its members and remains the global organization best situated to address the world’s pressing needs and to help find solutions for them. So, it is with pleasure that I use this occasion to make the following remarks on a few challenging issues of vital significance confronting Micronesia today. I must first congratulate His Excellency Mr. Miguel d’Escoto Brockmann on his election to the presidency of the Assembly. He has my delegation’s admiration and full support. In the same vein, I commend the dedication and stewardship of Mr. Srgjan Kerim, President of the Assembly at its sixty-second session.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“While we continue to stand by our position on Security Council reform, we will support any innovative ideas that can lead to further progress on the issue, such as the proposal for an intergovernmental negotiation process. At the sixty-second session of the General Assembly, we must continue the process already begun and make every effort to achieve results. I should like to close by expressing a sense of optimism about what the nations gathered here can achieve in advancing the admittedly ambitious agenda of the United Nations. Given the challenges that we face, it is only through optimism and determination over time that we can overcome them. We in the Federated States of Micronesia will be here to do our part.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“I wish to refer favourably to the long-standing effort by Italy and many others to encourage this body to take a consensus position against the imposition of the death penalty. Last year, my country signed the statement delivered by Finland on this important subject (see A/61/PV.81). We steadfastly maintain our support for this cause. Turning to the drawn-out discussion over United Nations reform, I should like to reiterate our concern that the reform of the United Nations will not be complete without the reform of the Security Council. We also reaffirm our support for Japan and India, from the Asia-Pacific region, as permanent members of the Council. At the same time, greater representation needs to be given to developing countries, including island States and small States.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“We cannot help but raise concerns with regard to the issue of collateral catches or discards in commercial fisheries. While they may be considered discards to others, they are a critical resource that our people depend upon for their subsistence living. The international community should vigorously seek ways to address this issue to minimize and eliminate the incidence of catching untargeted fish. Another significant and troubling issue continues to be that of bottom-trawl fishing. It would be tragic to our marine ecosystem and biodiversity if that destructive fishing practice were to continue unabated. We renew our call, made from this rostrum years ago, for a moratorium on bottom trawling.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“First, I would like to express our gratitude to the Government of Norway and others that have contributed to the trust fund created to assist small island developing States in claiming their extended continental shelves in compliance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. We are, however, concerned about the obstacles that continue to inhibit access to the fund. There are far too many institutional barriers that need to be immediately rectified to enable use of the fund to allow island developing States to fulfil their obligations under the Convention on the Law of the Sea. As a people, Micronesians are highly dependent on their marine resources for their livelihood. We take great interest in the conservation and sustainable use of our marine and fisheries resources.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“My Government commends UNDP and UNFPA for developing a plan for the next five-year programme cycle that will provide financial assistance to help my country address issues of poverty and institutional capacity. The joint United Nations office will be an important vehicle and will certainly play a pivotal role in the implementation and achievement of the specific objectives of the programme. We look forward to the implementation of the programme. As custodian of a vast ocean area whose bounty we share with the international community, I would be remiss if I did not make a few comments on the issue of oceans and seas.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“It is therefore essential that, in keeping with the objective of the joint office to be situated in my country, the original intent with regard to staffing must be adhered to if the Initiative is going to make a difference, both in terms of the effective implementation of United Nations programmes on the ground and in enhancing my country’s capacity to access its fair share of other sources of assistance and services provided by the United Nations system. As one of the countries identified by UNDP as being among those more challenged in meeting the Millennium Development Goals, my country places high value on an appropriate level of United Nations presence in the joint office located in my country to assist us in implementation and effectively utilizing external assistance towards achieving the MDGs.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“I commend the progress on the United Nations Pacific Presence Initiative, which in the case of my country is being represented by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). For the past several years, we have voiced our concern over the lack of an adequate United Nations presence in Micronesia to assist us in addressing our development challenges. This much-anticipated initiative will be translated into reality for Micronesia later this year. It is an initiative that we will not fail to utilize to the fullest.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“The Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United Nations Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States are collaborating on the development of a Pacific Ocean connectivity project that will address the need for developing information and communication technologies infrastructure in the Pacific. We hope that the project will allow our region to establish an effective partnership with the international community and help produce the kind of benefits that will help support our sustainable development goals. We will not, however, be able to implement the project without the financial support of the international community.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“To confront those challenges, Micronesia believes that access to affordable and reliable information and communication technologies offers us a solution that not only addresses our infrastructure deficiencies but also enables us to meet the aims of the Millennium Declaration, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the objectives relating to information and communication technologies emanating from the World Summit on the Information Society. It is a high priority of my country to bring broadband connectivity to the islands.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“My Government urges the Global Environment Facility to join with others such as the Government of Turkey in providing assistance to that end. I cannot overemphasize the critical role that information and communication technologies play in the socio-economic development of developing countries, particularly that of small island developing States. Given that the islands of the Federated States of Micronesia are widely dispersed in the north-west Pacific Ocean, and owing to our limited resources and high transportation costs, we face many monumental challenges.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“A collaborative effort among the island States and territories of the North Pacific, the Micronesia Challenge exemplifies the best of the Micronesian spirit of working together towards a common objective and with shared concerns. In effect, the Micronesia Challenge sets aside for conservation at least 30 per cent of our marine and 20 per cent of terrestrial biodiversity across the Micronesian region by 2020. We are grateful to the regional and international organizations and non-governmental organizations that have provided support to realize the objectives of our initiative. We are seeking international partnership and assistance to overcome the many obstacles that inhibit the implementation of the Micronesia Challenge.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“In March, Micronesia presented its proposal for adjusting the Montreal Protocol in order to enhance its effectiveness. Although our proposed adjustment was aimed at improving the effectiveness of the Protocol’s ozone mandate, Micronesia has a special interest in the significant climate benefits associated with the Montreal Protocol. We welcome the positive outcome of the historic nineteenth Meeting of the Parties. We hope that other relevant multilateral environmental agreements will also make similar efforts to produce climate benefits. Two years ago, at the eighth Conference of the States Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, which was held in Curitiba, Brazil, the Federated States of Micronesia and Palau showcased the Micronesia Challenge.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“It is important that acknowledgment of the threats of climate change be accompanied by provision of adequate and additional financing by the developed countries to the most vulnerable to assist us in coping with our adaptation and mitigation requirements. We therefore support an appropriate institutional arrangement for the Adaptation Fund that is responsive to the needs of small island developing States. Adaptation and mitigation have many faces, one of which is the pressing need for small island developing States to have increased access to renewable sources of energy, so that we can move away from our long dependence on fossil fuels. In that regard, I must acknowledge with gratitude the kind assistance extended by the Governments of Italy, India and others to small island developing States of the Pacific.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“Now, climate change is accepted as a reality and its adverse impact seen as inevitable and life-threatening, most especially to small island developing States like Micronesia. The current sense of urgency paid to climate change by the world community, as evidenced by high-level meetings around the world, is truly encouraging, but we are still far from reaching the objectives of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and its Kyoto Protocol. We need to take collective action now and act responsibly to save our planet, while taking into consideration the principle of common but differentiated responsibility. If our actions are to be effective, it is imperative that we pursue the climate change agenda both with a sense of urgency and within the framework of the United Nations.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“A few days ago, on 24 September, we met in this very Hall to take stock of a global threat which probably is the single most important challenge facing our planet today: climate change. Long before it became fashionable for climate change to be mainstreamed into the global agenda, Micronesia was in the forefront of those speaking out for action against what is now recognized as a global emergency. For years, we have argued that, as a small island developing State, we are among the most vulnerable, and that climate change threatens our very existence. We have come a long way in a short time. Consider where we were just 15 years ago when the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was signed: climate change was then considered by most as hypothetical and as a threat that was more imagined than real.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)
“I am honoured to take part in the general debate of the General Assembly for the first time since taking office as President of the Federated States of Micronesia in May this year. On this occasion, I am honoured to express to Mr. Srgjan Kerim my respect and congratulations on his election to the presidency of the General Assembly at its sixty- second session. I have every confidence that he will live up to the high standards of his esteemed predecessors. I wish to also convey my congratulations to the Secretary-General, His Excellency Mr. Ban Ki-moon, as he takes the helm of the Organization. I pledge to the Secretary-General my Government’s strong support. I wish to reaffirm our commitments and the importance that my country attaches to multilateralism and the purposes and principles of the United Nations.”
2007-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 62 (2007)