NZNTV

TOGETHER DIFFERENT: For the Planet. For the People.

Climate change – a challenge for sustainable development

At this moment the eyes of the world are on the terrible war in Ukraine and the hearts are with the civilian population as with all persons affected by violence worldwide. Not only have thousands of innocent people lost their lives, not only has it triggered a movement of refugees in Europe on an unprecedented scale – but it also threatens the reliable supply of food products such as wheat and cooking oil, of fertilizers as well as fuel and gas in large parts of the world. The IC Forum 2022 will be held under the sign of three simultaneous crises that confront the International Cooperation with new challenges: the crisis in Ukraine, the still continuing COVID-19 crisis that has shaken the global economy, disrupted the education of an entire generation and destroyed the livelihoods of many and the third main challenge for mankind – the climate crisis. Extreme weather events have massively increased and are affecting societies, economies and environments as never before in human history.

International cooperation actors, among others, are facing unprecedented difficulties to alleviate the suffering of the people affected by natural disasters, droughts or rising sea levels. Global warming is causing long-lasting changes, which threaten to reverse development progress and exacerbate extreme poverty, inequality and famine.
Despite all the efforts undertaken at the international level on this issue, the objectives set in the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and 2030 Sustainable Development Goals are far from being achieved. Working for the people on the ground and applying solution-oriented approaches, international cooperation experts and representatives of various fields have much to contribute to this debate. For this reason Switzerland decided to organize the First Edition of the International Cooperation Forum on climate change. It will take place in Geneva from 31 March to 1st April.  

Together, we strive to find ideas and approaches for effective change that is needed for development:

INTRODUCTION SPEECH FROM THE SWISS CONFEDERATION PRESIDENT