Statement

Statement by Mr. Ahmed Djoghlaf , Executive Secretary Convention on Biological Diversity , to the Symposium on Climate Change and the European Water Dimension Berlin, 12-14 February, 2007

Water is the basis of all life and our most valuable natural resource. Mr. Mostafa Tolba, the former Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme, speaking over a decade ago, said, “We used to think that energy and water would be the critical issues for the next century. Now we think water will be the critical issue”. He was right—but the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment confirmed that global warming is now the major driver of environmental change, reframing the critical nature of water issues. I therefore applaud your initiative to move the water and climate change agenda forward. Your initiative is much welcomed as it is taking place while the global biodiversity community is actively engaged in preparing the celebration of the International Day for Biological Diversity on 22 May, under the theme biodiversity and climate change.

Publication Date
2007-02-14