SEPT. 25, 2019

President Piñera at the UN: “The great challenge for our generation is to urgently address climate change”

During his speech at the UN in New York, Chile’s President underscored the need for more ambitious commitments to protect the environment, reiterated the importance of ending the trade war and its negative effects, and issued a call to safeguard regional democracy.

President Sebastián Piñera referred to the duty to respond to the climate emergency during his address at the 74 th session of the UN General Assembly.

He described Chile’s environmental initiatives regarding the protection of theoceans, rainforests and Antarctica, as well as plans for electromobility,renewable energy and the safeguarding of ecosystems and biodiversity.“Chile has chosen this path to address the challenge. That is why we agreed tohost the COP, which will take place in our country in December,” the President said.

President Piñera also stated that the goals for COP 25 include countriesundertaking more ambitious and enforceable commitments to combat climatechange and global warming with more urgency and effectiveness.

He also hopes that they incorporate the protection and conservation of the rainforests; include regional and local government, cities, NGOs, companies, civil society and the public; and agree to implement the carbon bonds market.

“This is the great challenge of our generation: to turn away from the path we have been following for decades and treat our planet differently in order to ensure that humans survive,” he explained.

The President announced the launch of the Climate Ambition Alliance, which will bring together governments, the private sector, civil society and the public in order to secure more concrete, ambitious and enforceable commitments in all of these areas at COP25, which will take place in Chile.

“This situation can and must change. We need all leaders to address the major challenges of the future,” he said. The President also referred to the trade war between China and the US, stating that it is “impeding and halting job growth and quality of life for our peoples.”

In November of this year, Chile will host the APEC Leaders’ Meeting, which brings together economies accounting for two-thirds of global GDP. The President said that he hopes that major progress will be made on free trade and the fight
against protectionism during the event.

Finally, in regard to the political and humanitarian crisis in Venezuela, President Piñera stated that another major challenge for Latin America is to end the dictatorship in Venezuela.

“This is a corrupt and incompetent dictatorship that does not respect human rights or freedoms and has undeniable connections to the drug trade,” he concluded.