Statement by Gudrun Thorbjornsdottir, Counsellor
Permanent Mission of Iceland to the United Nations
General Assembly 79th session
13th Plenary Meeting of Second Committee
Sustainable Development (Item 18)
15 October 2024

Mr./Madame Chair

The most recent Sustainable Development Goals report reveals alarming stagnation in progress toward the SDGs, and in some cases even regression. With only six years remaining to deliver on our collective commitments - it is vital that we intensify our joint efforts.

Iceland remains fully committed to the 2030 Agenda and to continuously strengthen our efforts to enhance progress for the SDGs. Earlier this year we amended our climate action plan, and we are now in the process of analysing our negative spillover effects.

Furthermore, climate action is central to our international development cooperation and Iceland will continue to prioritize funding for climate financing. 

We are proud to work with the Green Climate Fund, the Adaptation Fund and the Nordic Development Fund, to support climate mitigation and adaptation measures. Consistently climate finance accounts for more than 30 percent of Iceland‘s total international development cooperation commitments.

Strong international cooperation is essential to ensure success of such measures. They are an important part of development cooperation and a prerequisite for increasing our resilience.

Mr./Madame Chair

A key task at COP29 will be to agree on the new collective quantified goal for climate finance and we must be ambitious. 

The Fourth International Conference for Financing for Development is also an important opportunity to agree on how different financing streams can accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. 

Government contributions, private sector investment and domestic resource mobilization, all have a vital role to play in this regard.

Mr./Madame Chair

The Government of Iceland focuses on the following four objectives when it comes to environmental and climate affairs: 
    *first, improved mitigation and adaptation capacity; 
    *second, increased use of and equal access to renewable energy; 
    *third, protection and sustainable use of oceans and waters; 
    *and fourth, sustainable land use and restoration of habitats.

Notably, all efforts in this regard should seek a balance between protection and preservation of biodiversity, and the sustainable use of resources. 

We have also advocated for the health of oceans and waters as an important part of adapting food systems to sustainable solutions, and we are proud to take part in the work of the Aquatic Blue Food Coalition.

Since early last century Iceland has focused on recovering land quality and limiting land degradation. We continue to support the UNCCD, including through the Group of Friends on Desertification, Land Degradation and Drought, which we proudly chair with Namibia.

Moreover, Iceland places a particular focus on eradicating energy poverty within our development cooperation, which disproportionately impacts women.

Mr./Madame Chair

Gender equality is a prerequisite for sustainable development. 

It can increase the probability of success in combatting major global challenges, such as reaching land degradation neutrality. Therefore, gender equality plays a fundamental role in achieving the SDGs.

We must also keep in mind that women around the world bear the brunt of the effects of climate change.

Mr./Madame Chair

As we embark on this session of the Second Committee, Iceland looks forward to engaging constructively and working with all of you to deliver meaningful outcomes towards the 2030 Agenda.