Remarks at a UN Security Council Open Debate on Climate and Security (via VTC)

Ambassador Cherith Norman Chalet
Acting Deputy Permanent Representative
U.S. Mission to the United Nations
New York, New York
July 24, 2020

AS DELIVERED

Thank you so much, Mr. President, Christoph. And thank you to our briefers for your participation today. Extreme weather, natural disasters, climate change, and other ecological challenges can significantly contribute to poverty, food scarcity, and displacement, especially in vulnerable states.

The United States reaffirms our commitment to working with our global partners to enhance resilience to the impacts of climate change and prepare for and respond to natural disasters. Just as we have in the past, the United States will continue to research, innovate, and grow our economy while reducing emissions and extending a helping hand to our friends and partners around the globe to do the same.

The United States supports a balanced approach that promotes economic growth and improves energy security while protecting the environment with affordable and reliable clean energy technologies.

This includes sharing world-class knowledge, data, and tools to help countries predict, prepare for, and adapt to change. We support a wide range of programs that provide satellite and geospatial information, and build partner country analytical capacity in order to better manage climate risks, improve land use, and better target agricultural practices to evolving conditions.

As the world’s number one provider of disaster relief, the United States works with our partners around the globe to build resilience to natural disasters.

Impacts of the coronavirus on international heath and the global economy serve as an important reminder of the presence of the wide range of threats to our collective security.

We also support the development and use of clean energy technologies, including advanced battery storage; cutting edge carbon capture, use, and storage; and a host of new technologies to generate energy from the widest range of sources.

And we assist partners in conserving and restoring forests and other ecosystems, and improving agricultural practices, in order to enhance resilience, reduce emissions, and improve the security of populations that depend on the land.

These programs involve a diverse array of partners in the public and private sectors, and in civil society. We look forward to continuing to build strong partnerships at home and abroad to advance this important work.

It is this focus on work on the ground that will make a difference by continuing to enhance the resilience of our global partners to the impacts of climate change and natural disasters.

Thank you very much.

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