Thank you, Madam Chair.
Micronesia would like to extend a warm congratulations to you and the members of the bureau on your election and we look forward to active engagement and continued collaboration for a successful Second Committee session.
Micronesia aligns with the interventions made on behalf of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) and the G77 and China and stands ready for collective action. We wish to emphasize from the outset, the value we prescribe to all of our relationships with our distinguished colleagues gathered here today.
[global security]
Madam Chair, Micronesia above all values “Peace, Unity and Liberty”, a phrase embedded in our national seal. In this regard, we denounce the unprovoked attacks on Ukraine by Russia. This horrendous war of aggression has affected global security and peace and we urge Russia to withdraw and cease all hostilities on the people of Ukraine — men, women, children, elderly, disabled, all who deserve to be free of oppression. The war has impacted every country, disrupting supply chains and threatening food security, especially for already vulnerable countries, evident in my own country through our shortage of much needed supplies and resources.
[covid19]
Madam Chair, it goes without saying that the effects of Covid-19 have been far and widely felt. For small island developing states, like Micronesia, characterized by our tiny land mass, huge ocean space, remoteness, limited resources and access to goods, Covid 19 disrupted our lives, jobs, economy and our way of life. These effects are only exacerbated by the ever-growing climate crisis. We extend our thanks to partners who provided continued assistance helping pave the way for our road to recovery, as acts reflecting the benefits of global peace and partnership.
[climate change]
Madam Chair, consistent with our policies, Micronesia affirms our support for promoting economic growth while also protecting the environment, as evident in our swift ratification of the Paris Agreement. For Micronesia, Climate change is the single greatest existential threat to our culture, our way of life, and our very existence.
Madame Chair, the science and evidence are clear. As conveyed by the latest IPCC reports, we are approaching increasingly dangerous tipping points, especially for countries already vulnerable to even a minute change. The Pacific islands produce less than 0.03% of all greenhouse gas emissions and yet, we are in the frontlines. We have already begun to build our homes further inland; we send our fishers further into dangerous waters for food; and we have already begun to grow salt-water resistant staple crops in preparation for sea- level rise, saltwater intrusion, and extreme weather events as the rising sea begins to push us off our islands into a desolate and unknown future. The 1.5-degrees pathway of the Paris Agreement must be achieved. We urge all countries to update their nationally determined contributions to align with the 1.5-degrees pathway within this current, critical decade of action; as well as commit to achieving net zero by 2050. Our very lives depend on it.
[ocean]
Madam Chair, Micronesia is often labelled a small island developing state however, we are in fact a big ocean state. With 1% land and 99% Ocean, it is an integral part of who we are; our cultures, traditions and traditional knowledge, our economy and our way of life. Micronesia is responsive to the realities of sea level rise, building upon the foundation of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and adopting national and regional practices to preserve our maritime zones.
We signal our dedication to the global effort of protecting our Ocean and its resources through the Pacific 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent; a strategy adopted by our leaders to promote regional cooperation as we face a common global threat. Additionally, we support the 30×30 initiative for protecting at least 30 percent of the global Ocean by 2030, and we are committed to finalizing and implementing as soon as possible a robust and ambitious BBNJ instrument, recognizing that a healthy Ocean is a virtue in and of itself as well as essential to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, particularly SDG 14. The Ocean connects us and we remain faithful stewards of it.
We must strengthen our collective ability to respond to these challenges and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. Micronesia is committed to working closely with all delegations in the Committee towards our common goal of achieving the 2030 Agenda, leaving no one behind.
Upholding this is of utmost importance to Micronesia as a small island developing state. We value our independence however; current climate impacts threaten our way of life and erode our economic independence critical for our own survival. We call for improving the way in which we invest in our economies ensuring all our resources are utilized sustainably.
Let me conclude with this final remark. Micronesia believes that if we all agree to improving the ways in which we invest in sustainable development, we can make progress towards achieving a healthier and prosperous future for all our peoples.
I thank you.
