[Video Message]
Excellencies,
Distinguished Delegates,
It is an honour to address this high-level forum on circular economy, a topic of significant importance for protecting and sustaining our ecosystems.
I wish to thank the Governments of India and Japan, UN entities, and other partners for co-organizing this event together with UN DESA. Thanks also go to the State Government of Rajasthan for hosting the Forum in the heritage City of Jaipur.
Excellencies,
We convene at a pivotal moment in history. Humanity is facing a global sustainable development crisis that includes the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and worsening pollution. These crises are exacerbated by the compounding effect of development challenges, including setbacks in poverty eradication and combating inequality.
It is in this context that last September, world leaders adopted the Pact for the Future and committed to transformative actions to accelerate the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
At this crucial moment, your deliberations will help galvanize international cooperation to address the multiple global crises we face. I applaud your thematic focus on growing levels of waste and pollution and on strategies for promoting circular economy. In 2022, UN Member States adopted a resolution to reach a legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution, and proclaimed 30 March as the International Day of Zero Waste to raise global awareness and spur action.
Our strategy is clear. Transitioning to a circular society will create a sustainable model that aligns economic growth with environmental stewardship.
This transformation will accelerate the transition towards carbon neutrality, ensuring that economic growth does not come at the cost of environmental destruction.
However, achieving this vision demands political commitment, technological breakthroughs, and collaboration. Working together, governments, businesses, and communities can build a future where resources are valued, waste is eliminated, and economy and environment can both thrive.
Furthermore, harnessing digital innovation, artificial intelligence, and smart infrastructure can drive efficiency in waste management, resource recovery, and low-carbon manufacturing.
The Asia-Pacific region is uniquely positioned to spearhead this transformation and set an example for the world. As the world's most populous and economically vibrant region, rapid growth has contributed to improved living standards. However, this growth has also impacted the region's resource efficiency and natural capital, resulting in shrinking forests, biodiversity loss, and depleted water resources.
I am therefore encouraged to note that this Forum will establish a new policy framework to facilitate the integration of sustainable consumption and production practices as well as circular economy principles into the development of national policies, with a particular focus on infrastructure development.
Moreover, our host country, India, has taken bold steps towards developing a circular economy roadmap as a key pillar for its sustainable growth and environmental conservation agenda.
Finally, I sincerely thank the Government of Japan for its continued generous support to the Asian 3R and Circular Economy initiative led by the United Nations Centre for Regional Development.
I wish you fruitful discussions and look forward to the outcome of your deliberations.
Thank you.