This position note was published in September 2019 to coincide with the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ Climate Action Summit challenges states, regions, cities, companies, investors and citizens to step up action in the areas of energy transition, climate finance and carbon pricing, industry transition, nature-based solutions, cities and resilience.
To meet the goals of the Paris Agreement, nine tracks for accelerated action were set up. A total of 19 countries lead the tracks, with support from international organizations:
Lead: Chile
With support from: Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC Achim Steiner, Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme, Paul Polman, Vice Chair of the Global Compact
The mitigation track secures the political will required to reach the goals of the Paris Agreement and remain within the 1.5°C limit. Concrete commitments, backed by strong policies with clear targets and timelines, and a long-term strategy to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 are expected.
Social and political drivers of change
Lead: Peru and Spain, with Nauru and Poland as members
With support from: International Labour Organization, World Health Organization, United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, UN Global Compact, B team
This track ensures that the economic, political, environmental and social factors shaping transitions also reduce inequalities, maximize opportunities for all and promote social justice. Human rights play a critical role in efforts to address the climate crisis.
Youth engagement and public mobilization
Lead: The Marshall Islands and Ireland, with Nigeria and Namibia as members
With support from: Office of the Secretary General’s Envoy on Youth, Youth and the general public are demanding climate action from world leaders. This track aims to inspire and support country leaders to respond to this global call for action.
Lead: Denmark and Ethiopia, with Palau, Italy, Indonesia, Colombia and Morocco as members
With support from: International Renewable Energy Agency, International Energy Agency
This track supports public and private initiatives to invest into and finance clean energy alternatives, improve business models and strengthen local
regulations. All these opportunities must be pursued in a way that leaves no one behind.
Lead: India and Sweden
With support from: World Economic Forum
This track calls for industry to achieve carbon neutrality by mid-century with leading companies and governments to announce emission commitments. Cooling, industry and transport require a reduction of 13.4 gigatonnes of CO2 emissions by 2030.
The main sectors are:
- shipping (3 per cent of global emissions)
- aviation (3 per cent of global emissions)
- transport (7 per cent of global emissions)
- petro-chemicals, including oil and gas (5 per cent of global emissions)
- iron and steel (7 per cent of global emissions)
- cement (7 per cent of global emissions)
- aluminium (0.4 per cent of global emissions)
Lead: Egypt and the United Kingdom, with Bangladesh, Netherlands and Malawi as members
With support from: United Nations Development Programme
Even if efforts to limit average temperature to between 1.5°C and 2°C were successful, countries, communities and the private sector would have to adapt to the negative impacts to a changing climate. This track demonstrates shifts in investment, behaviour and narrative around resilience and adaptation, and how to integrate them into long-term low-emission development strategies.
Infrastructure, cities and local action
Lead: Turkey and Kenya, with Germany, Mexico, Canada and Singapore as members
With support from: UN Habitat
This track uncovers clear and tangible objectives of what a carbon-neutral world should look like in 2050. Policies and timelines will complement strategies for decarbonizing countries and strengthening the adaptive capacity of communities. The track also looks at climate-resilient infrastructure, zero-carbon standards and codes, and climate finance that is more accessible to cities and local governments.
Lead: China and New Zealand. with Norway, Fiji, Costa Rica and Portugal as members
With support from: UN Environment Programme, David Nabarro, Strategic Director of Skills, Systems and Synergies for Sustainable Development
Nature is a cost-effective and immediate solution that exists now to address the climate crisis. This track focuses on nature’s role in tackling the climate crisis, harnessing its power to both mitigate and adapt to climate change, and on increasing the potential for investment in these options.
Climate finance and carbon pricing
Lead: France, Jamaica and Qatar, with the Republic of Korea and Senegal as members
With support from: The World Bank
This track aims to scale up climate finance to reach US$100 billion by 2020, aligning private and public finance with the Paris Agreement through public-private partnerships aimed at low emissions and climate resilience actions.
The Climate Action Summit will feed into the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change process by contributing to the 25th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 25) in December 2019.
Related links
- The UN Environment Programme and climate mitigation
- UNEP, UN Human Rights Office sign new agreement, stepping up commitment to protect the human right to a healthy environment
- Data visualizations of the Report of the Special Rapporteur on the issue of human rights obligations relating to the enjoyment of a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment.
- Young Champions of the Earth
- Champions of the Earth
- “Cool Coalition” comes together to save lives, energy and trillions for the global economy
- The UN Environment Programme and climate adaptation
- Moving Forward - Electric public transport: a Super Solution
- The UN Environment Programme and nature-based solutions
- Climate action’s super solutions
For more information contact: Niklas Hagelberg
