Mattarella in Nairobi on the climate emergency: “Don’t run away from reality, there’s no more time”

“You cannot escape from reality. The reduction of emissions in the times and in the ways indicated by the scientific community is an unavoidable obligation, which concerns everyone. We cannot indulge in the illusion of first pursuing economic development objectives and then tackling a second time the environmental problems. We will not have a ‘second half'”. The President of the Republic said, Sergio Mattarellaspeaking at the University of Nairobi.

Then the head of state mentions the Archbishop and Nobel Prize winner Desmond Tutu: “‘Being guardians of creation is not a vain title; it requires us to act and with all the urgency that the situation requires’. The protection of the environment and the fight against climate change are unavoidable responsibilities, which fall on the whole humanity, without exception”.

“It is evident – continues Mattarella – how the size of the single State is absolutely inadequate against climate change. The efforts of unity and direction, made starting from the UN constitution, with continental integration organizations such as the European Union and the Africana, will never be enough. Only collective action can be capable of combining effectiveness and solidarity to avoid the catastrophic scenarios in progress and those that are to be announced. It is the moment of unity, of cohesion, not of divisions between North and South , between the East and the West of the world”.

“Russian aggression undermines food security”

“The brutal aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine is setting international relations back eighty years, as if there had not been, in that span of time, an admirable progress in the field of independence, freedom and democracy, growth of many nations. We grew up in the interdependence between our destinies and the consequences of the acts of the Russian Federation are very serious on the food security, on the energy security of many countries, on peace, also on the African continent, and in the Middle East”. Thus the President of the Republic.

“We need a new humanism”

“We share the tension towards a new humanism, which places man and his aspiration to live with dignity in more equitable, inclusive and sustainable societies at the centre, on a national and international level. In the process of intensifying relations, Italy and the European Union are counting on dialogue with those countries, such as Kenya, with which to build a partnership based not only on convergence towards common interests, but also on shared values, such as respect for the dignity of every person and every community, promotion of democratic values, attention to the growth and development of the young generations, care for global common goods, starting with the extremely precious environment, as Wangari Maathai herself stated at the award ceremony Nobel, ‘there can be no peace without development, and there can be no development without sustainable management of the environment in a peaceful and democratic space’. we ski fully”. concludes the head of state.