The Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources
Ali Al-Naimi of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia delivered a speech at the United Nations Climate Summit 2014 at the UN Headquarters in New York yesterday.
Following is the text of the speech:
Mr. President, Excellencies, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen.
It is my great honor to be here at this historic moment, on behalf of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, at the UN Climate Summit 2014. Today marks the 84th Anniversary of Saudi Arabia’s National Day. We are all proud of the comprehensive development renaissance, and political, security and economic stability that the Kingdom has realized in the era of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.
Mr. President.
Saudi Arabia shares the international community’s attention on climate change, which is a priority for the world today and for our people in the future, and we are also working on addressing and managing greenhouse gas emissions. Saudi Arabia believes that the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions must be achieved without undermining the economic growth, or negatively affecting the social development, or destabilizing the global energy market. We are well aware of the mutual relationship between the effects of climate change and importance of sustainable development.
Saudi Arabia stresses that the international response to climate change must fully respect the principles and provisions of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, particularly the principle of common but differentiated responsibility (CBDR).