STATSMINISTEREN: "FN er en hjørnesten i Danmarks udenrigs- og udviklingspolitik"
Statsminister Helle Thorning-Schmidts tale ved lanceringen af Human Development Report 2011
i Eigtveds Pakhus den 2. november 2011
Det talte ord gælder
Madame Administrator of UNDP, Excellencies, distinguished guests
and
webcast-viewers around the globe,
I would like to welcome you all warmly to Copenhagen. I am
extremely pleased that UNDP has chosen Copenhagen as the venue for
the launch of the 2011 Human Development Report: "Sustainability
and Equity: A Better Future for All".
Thanks to live webcast this is a truly global event.
The UN is a cornerstone in Denmark's foreign and development
policy. The UN will always be welcome in Denmark. And we will
continue to support the work of the UN.
The Human Development Report is an important tool for public
debate on development. The report sets the international
agenda.
This year the report clearly describes how the most
disadvantaged groups on the planet now face a double impact of
poverty:
First, environmental problems slow down progress in addressing
poverty eradication.
Second, it is the world's most disadvantaged people who will
suffer the most from environmental degradation.
To end world poverty and confront growing economic inequality,
we need more inclusive and robust growth patterns. We must enable
more people to both contribute to and benefit from growth.
The Human Development Report highlights precisely the point that
access to energy without environmental degradation is possible.
Denmark prioritizes a transition to a green economy, particularly
this new government. We support the UN system in its important
contribution to this objective.
The world is facing an urgent need for a transition to a green
economy. This issue will be at the forefront of the Rio+20 Summit
in June 2012. And Denmark is strongly committed to push for this
transition.
Every year in October, Denmark will put green growth at the top
of the international agenda at the Global Green Growth Forum. At
the Forum, political and economic leaders, experts and civil
society organizations will come together to advance concrete green
public-private initiatives.
The inaugural Forum held in Copenhagen last month demonstrated
its potential in this respect. At a critical time in the world
economy, the strong presence of 200 political and economic leaders,
including UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon gave new momentum to the
agenda of green growth.
The Danish Government will also do its utmost to make the Rio+20
a success. This is a priority in our EU presidency during the first
half of 2012.
Rio+20 must be a conference with substance. Rio+20 should give
special attention to the question of scarcity of natural resources,
particularly the issues of energy, water and food security.
Denmark strongly supports the initiative from the
Secretary-General on sustainable energy for all. Goals on access to
energy, energy efficiency and renewable energy could be important
outcomes of Rio+20.
The Rio+20 Summit is an opportunity to remind us all that high
growth rates can go hand in hand with sustainability
considerations.
The report presented today points to how to combine
sustainability, equity and human development in ways that make them
mutually reinforcing. An important point is being made here: Equity
is important when aiming for truly sustainable development. This is
in line with the approach taken in Denmark's policy priorities.
Let me give just a few examples:
The Human Development Report concludes that greater equity in
distribution of political power results in better access to water,
less land degradation and fewer deaths due to pollution.
That is why Denmark supports civil society organizations in
Mozambique. The purpose is to help build public awareness and
demand for high-quality environmental services.
Another important conclusion of the report is that national
institutions need to be accountable and inclusive.
That is why Denmark has supported a comprehensive reform of
Tanzania's forest administration. We put emphasis on participatory
management systems.
Freedom of the press is also considered vital in raising
awareness and facilitating public participation.
That is why Denmark is a core donor to the non-profit
organisation International Media Support (IMS) with their expertise
on environmental and climate journalism.
I am very pleased to see the question of women's rights at the
centre of the Human Development Report.
Women are important agents of change and development. In fact,
improved family planning by 2050 could lower the world's carbon
emissions an estimated 17 pct. below today's levels.
Gender equality and women's empowerment remain at the core of
our bilateral development cooperation. We support UN Women and the
UNFPA to this end, including also the important work in terms of
ensuring sexual and reproductive health and rights.
Allowing women free choice when it comes to their own bodies
should be a given for all. Unfortunately, it is not. We are even
facing increased opposition from certain groups. These are
challenges we must address proactively.
We must all do our part in securing sustainable development for
future generations. There is a significant gap between ODA-spending
and the investments needed to address climate change, low-carbon
energy and human development.
The economic crisis has not made things any easier. The developed
world must live up to its commitments. Denmark is committed to the
achievement of the Millennium Development Goals by 2015.
We must also be willing to look beyond 2015. Some of the
existing goals can be combined with new targets focussing on
sustainable development. The Rio+20 Summit could provide an
important first platform for identifying such new sustainable
development goals.
Let me conclude by saying that the UNDP has a crucial role to
play in ensuring a UN working together and delivering as one.
Denmark is pleased to play our part in this effort.
As you know, we host a number of UN organisations in Copenhagen.
We will now provide them with new and common Headquarters on the
city's harbour front. By creating a common workplace for the
UN-staff in Copenhagen, we hope to contribute to the "One
UN"-agenda.
Denmark also seeks to improve human development globally through
our substantial development cooperation. Currently, Denmark commits
over and above the 0.7 % of GNI to development assistance.
Actually, the latest figure is 0.9 % for 2010.
It is the objective of my government to raise our development
assistance commitment to 1.0 % of GNI over the coming years.
I am a strong advocate for the developed world to live up to the
0.7 % commitment. And I believe that also the new emerging
economies have their role to play in ensuring global sustainable
development.
Denmark's strong support for multilateral organizations
naturally includes the UNDP. We are committed to a rights-based
approach to development. We will draw on the UNDP's experience in
developing this approach further. And we look forward to working
closely with you to this end.
Thank you!
 I de fleste lande stiger
levestandarden, men dette års Human Development rapport fra UNDP
afslører en bekymrende udvikling; forværrede klima- og miljøforhold
og social ulighed truer med at vende denne stigning - og lade de
mindst udviklede lande i stikken.
Der er brug for en ny tilgang til udvikling, der tager højde for
både bæredygtighed og lighed.
Du kan finde rapporten, de seneste statistikker og
indikatorer på UNDP's egen hjemmeside ved at klikke HER
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