The United Nations Climate Summit, led by Secretary-General António Guterres, has called for stronger climate action from governments and businesses ahead of the COP28 UN climate talks in Dubai. The summit aims to showcase countries and companies that are actively accelerating their climate goals and moving towards net-zero emissions. Guterres has specifically urged the G20 nations, responsible for 80% of global emissions, to strengthen their targets and limit the rise in global temperatures to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
While the summit is an important political moment, Jonathan Westin, executive director of the Climate Organizing Hub, highlights that world leaders are still slow in their progress towards phasing out fossil fuels. The recent G20 summit in India pledged to triple global renewable energy capacity by 2030, but fell short of committing to completely eliminate fossil fuels.
The UN progress report released earlier this month warned that global emissions are not on track to meet the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. Mindy Lubber, head of sustainability nonprofit Ceres, praises Guterres for consistently pushing for high standards in climate action. However, the response from world leaders and the private sector has not yet met the urgency of the climate crisis.
The summit, which coincides with Climate Week NYC, will be accompanied by a march to call for faster action on phasing out fossil fuels. This global movement aims to reinvigorate the climate agenda that was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Climate Ambition Summit and other climate-themed events leading up to COP28 are crucial in building momentum for strong climate outcomes.
Guterres’ summit aims to highlight the most challenging areas that COP28 must address: phasing out fossil fuels, scaling up renewable energy, and providing sufficient climate finance for developing countries. With just 10 weeks left until COP28, the summit seeks to refocus efforts and rally the world to meet its climate goals.
Source: Thomson Reuters Foundation