Image Source: UN Media
As world leaders gather for the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) High-Level Meetings beginning September 24th, the global community faces a critical juncture to address the climate crisis. With the clock ticking on climate action, these meetings present a crucial opportunity to set the stage for transformative change.
Key Actions Required:
- Strengthen Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs):
• Align NDCs with net-zero objectives, prioritizing fossil fuel phase-out
• Ensure NDCs include commitments to reduce both exports and imports of fossil fuels
• Push for transformational, rather than incremental, changes - Reaffirm Fossil Fuel Phase-Out Commitments:
• Leaders must endorse the need to phase out fossil fuels in the Summit of the Future declaration
• Develop differentiated timelines for developing and developed countries without compromising on ambition - Stronger commitment on addressing climate issues in high-level dialogues and Leaders’ Speeches:
• Emphasize climate change as a top agenda item
• Highlight climate change as a force multiplier affecting national goals
• Integrate climate considerations into all discussions - Address Finance and Collaboration:
• Clarify the scope and quantum of climate finance
• Present strong leadership from the Azerbaijani Presidency to help push momentum
• Support initiatives like the Azerbaijan-led Baku Initiative for Climate Finance, Investment and Trade (BICFIT) that unite finance, trade, and private sector efforts - Ensure Inclusive Participation including:
• Call for the protection of civil society, journalists, and activists’ rights to participate in climate discussions
• Address concerns about crackdowns on environmental advocates
As Fernanda Carvalho of WWF International states,
“The Summit of the Future is a moment to rebuild trust in multilateralism, and one key element we want to see emerge from the pact of the future is a clear, strong commitment to phasing out fossil fuels.”
Alden Meyer of E3G emphasizes the criticality of these meetings:
“Next week is critical to lay the groundwork for success in Baku and Belem. Each piece needs to build on itself. If we don’t get progress on a finance agreement, then this will stall progress in the run up to COP30.”
The UNGA High-Level Meetings offer a pivotal moment for world leaders to demonstrate their commitment to address the climate crisis. Concrete actions and bold declarations are essential to pave the way for successful outcomes at COP29 in Azerbaijan and COP30 in Brazil, ultimately steering the world towards a sustainable, climate-resilient future.
