First of all, I would like to express my pleasure at being at such a major conference on an essential aspect of our life. Energy is indeed a vital area for economy, development, security and peace of the world. 

Dear friends,

It is no exaggeration to say that energy is the secret, which has changed the world and constituted a key factor in transferring mankind into a completely different era. The human being was able to figure out how vital and tremendous energy is to change the reality for the better. This, however, does not prevent us from saying that energy has also a negative side, which has played a pivotal role in fueling conflicts and wars, and caused severe damage to the environment.

Every morning, the world’s democratic politicians ask about security and energy, while non-democratic ones ask about security, energy and detainees. As you can see, the world is divided over whether it is necessary to have detention centers and prisons for those advocating for freedom and human rights, whereas they are all agreed on the importance of energy. We all realize what energy means. Although this perception is the reason for the development of energy sources and taking advantage of energy when developing and modernizing areas in different walks of life, it is also a major cause of many wars and armed conflicts here and there.

I have no desire to enumerate wars waged to take over energy sources. You all know how wars, which have been fought under the banner of democratization and anti-terrorism, turned out to be nothing but wars to seize oil and gas resources. Despite the fact that the invisible motives behind such wars have become apparent and caused the countries waging those wars to lose their credibility, it has not changed much of the reality due to the strict control of corruption systems in the Third World.  

I have just returned from Latin America, exactly from Honduras and Guatemala, where I was among a delegation chosen by the Nobel Women Initiative. We have been fully briefed on the extent of citizens' suffering from corruption caused by governments and multinationals, and how the latter have caused much damage to the environment, climate, rivers and lands, and how defenders of environment, land and water face endless violations ranging from murder to defamation. What is happening there should not be tolerated. Dealing with people and land in this brutal form should not be seen as a normal subject that deserves no attention.

Each killing of human rights defender, corruption fighter, or environmental advocate poses a threat to international peace and security. Such crimes should not be seen as domestic and limited. In the end, consequences of environmental destruction are not limited by geography. It’s naïve to view climate issues as a local matter, and this belief should be changed so as not to turn a blind eye to damage to the environment.  

Investigations into these violations must therefore be expanded to include all beneficiaries of the killings of anti-corruption activists, especially those who struggle against environmental degradation for selfish benefits. Trials should not be limited to the direct perpetrators. The investigations, if taken seriously, would encompass the corrupt mafia and repressive security services, as well as all tyrants and companies involved in the destruction and misuse of the environment.

I call for an international tribunal to fight corruption and money laundering, as well as to prosecute all those involved in damaging the climate and environment in a way that threatens life.

 

Dear friends,

In order to make our life better, we just have to consider how best to utilize energy. In my view, the most important thing to do is to keep away from tendencies to dominate, which turns the blessing of energy into a curse. Energy has to feed our lives with all that is positive and useful.

My dream is for poor countries to have giant projects in the field of electricity and renewable energy, and I also dream of similar ones between countries. Any effort will be made in this direction would ease the suffering of people, contribute to the development of local communities and enhance security and stability of societies, as well as strengthen bilateral ties and cooperation between neighboring countries. We could make energy act as a catalyst for peace. However, energy could also act as a catalyst for more armed conflicts and wars in case we act selfishly. We must determine which direction we will go. We all, as I imagine, want to be in a decent place free of polluted conscience and air.

 

Dear friends,

Almost every day, we hear about mounts of funds being pumped into projects to generate green energy given its countless benefits to the environment, human health and our planet’s safety. To our surprise, this type of energy is still too limited to be a source of optimism for a change that would help the Earth recover, or would help us and future generations to live without discontent.

I am aware of the difficulties facing this process, but given the massive increase in population coupled with alarmingly high pollution rates and growing global warming caused by greenhouse gas emissions that are related to energy consumption, it’s imperative for us to do our best to make the land less polluted.

The trend towards renewable or alternative energy will not only make the Earth healthier, it is also an important indicator of a genuine desire to consolidate peace we look forward to.

On a previous occasion, I said that the use of green energy in developing and least developed countries would achieve sustainable development with its various economic, social and political dimensions, and would lead to poverty reduction especially among women and marginalized groups. It will also ensure women's participation in development, and bring huge benefits in terms of poverty reduction because it creates new employment opportunities for a large segment of the world's population living in unsuitable conditions today, which in turn helps to strengthen the logic of peace while weakening the logic of war.

 

Dear friends,

We have great ambitions versus enormous tasks. Most urgently, we need today to work side by side for a planet full of vitality and health and a human being living in an non-toxic environment.

Let’s work sincerely for an era of clean energy! Indeed, there are many obstacles to achieving this goal, but we should not give up, as we and the earth deserve a life without poison, war or smoke.

We deserve green energy and sustainable peace.