Dr. Seyed Ali Mohammad Mousavi, Secretary-General of D-8, said that climate change would have direct impact on the ability of nations, developing world in particular. He called upon greater action for a strong climate change agreement which would encompass all externalities, enhance capacities of nations to handle changed circumstances and above all, create enabling environment for the ones struggling hard to survive. He underscored the need for a development approach which is sustainable in order to make people ready for anticipated change.

The D-8 Secretary-General stressed the critical need for a concerted global effort in combating impacts of climate change in his address in the ECO Safranbulu Ministerial Conference on Climate Change held on 27 March 2015 in Safranbulu. He mentioned that the timing and venue for the ECO Safranbulu Ministerial Conference on Climate Change cannot be more apposite. 

In his speech, Dr. Mousavi also mentioned that developing countries will lose their GDP as well as competitiveness; climate induced migration and refugees will make people’s lives vulnerable and therefore, he underlined, that climate negotiations and subsequent outcomes should be robust, enabling and all-encompassing. He mentioned that the D-8 Organization is working to contribute to the sustainable development process within its periphery as well as in partnership with specialized international agencies. 

The D-8 Secretary-General informed the meeting of the latest developments taking place within the Organization and also gave a background of the D-8 and highlighted the role and engagement of the Organization as a prominent inter-governmental entity for economic development as envisaged by its leaders. He said that the D-8 provided a good platform for promoting South-South Cooperation. He mentioned that D-8 had marked significant progress over the period of 16 years since its establishment in the areas such as industry, trade, transportation etc. and thus had contributed to the economic uplift of the people of the region.