Abdulla Shahid, President of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has stated that he sees a future where innovative approaches to land preservation is a source of new jobs and economic growth.
He made this statement in his remarks at the Youth Forum (Youth Caucus) under the theme: “Land: a job for tomorrow” on the sidelines of the COP-15 of the UNCCD on Monday.
As such, expressing his honor to participate in the Youth Forum, PGA Shahid expressed appreciation of the theme,“Land: a job for tomorrow”which he described to be an interesting play on words.
Noting that minds of young persons are ever on the future and on careers, PGA Shahid expressed that the presence of youth at the forum is indicative of their passion for this area of work and their commitment to preserving the land they call home.
Commending the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification for facilitating the platform, PGA Shahid applauded the efforts of the participants, stating that they have elected to engage and to proactively seek out opportunities for change in a time of such great uncertainty amidst a global pandemic, through conflict as well as climate change.
I understand your eagerness and your rightful impatience, and I applaud your conviction. We need this conviction now. Nearly 160 million children live in areas where the intensity of the drought is high or extremely high. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the impacts of climate change will only increase the frequency of extreme weather events.”Abdulla Shahid, PGA.
Highlighting that the impacts of climate change will only increase the frequency of extreme weather events, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, PGA Shahid stated that this has deep implications for young people, who are often uniquely affected by land degradation.
With this being said, he stated that worsening drought situation in many parts of the world will have an adverse effect on everything from food production and agriculture, to education and healthcare, to jobs and economic growth.
However, the PGA expressed hope, as a firm believer in the ingenuity of humanity.
He stated the this is reflected in the “incredible” innovations that continue to change the world and went on to express his belief that when faced with extreme pressure, humans have the capacity to find and develop solutions.
Noting how the people need only look at the pace of innovation in renewable energies, or the rapid development of multiple, viable vaccines for Covid-19 to see what humanity is capable of, the PGA Stated that he sees a future where innovative approaches to land preservation is a source of new jobs and economic growth.
Much like the companies that are springing up to address plastic pollution in the ocean, turning this discard into usable products – everything from running shoes to sunglasses – there is a new market for areas that help to conserve and protect the land. It is your generation that will help identify these solutions; it is your generation that will take these next steps.”Abdulla Shahid, PGA.
Going on to reveal that his role and that of policy-makers is to open every door and every avenue to the young people, PGA Shahid stated that the measures to facilitate this innovation and to create a space for change must be ensured.
This he said, required for the people in charge to listen to the younger people “now” and not wait until they are older, as well as to take steps to ensure that every policy, every implementing mechanism, is influenced by the inputs of young people.
He concluded by stating that as the PGA, he remains committed to visit schools and universities and to speak to students and young people at every opportunity.
