Ahead of climate summit, UN wants countries to take concrete climate action

Leaders of the United Nations (UN) system organisations have appealed to member states to step up ambition and take concrete action to limit global temperature increases to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels and adapt to the effects of climate change, as they strive to fulfil their obligations as stated in the Paris Agreement.

The appeal was made in a statement titled, “ Joint Appeal from the UN System to the Secretary-General’s Climate Action Summit,” ahead of the Climate Action Summit slated for September 2019.

According to the leaders of UN organisations, achieving the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C “will require changes on an unprecedented scale at all levels, but it is still possible if we act now.”

They said that “With great urgency we call upon member states to come to New York in September with concrete, realistic plans to enhance their nationally determined contributions by 2020 and in support to the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.”

The UN stated that urgent action to limit global warming was necessary “recognising that climate change mitigation is a moral, ethical and economic imperative.”

According to the statement, “the United Nations system supports Member States to make and fulfill their commitments under the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including through the nationally determined contributions and long-term low greenhouse gas emission development strategies, strengthening synergies, avoiding trade-offs and ensuring policy coherence in the implementation of the sustainable development agenda.

“Whilst acknowledging the progress and decisions adopted by individual UN organizations we are committed to strengthening our support by mobilizing scaled-up climate finance, facilitating technology transfer and capacity building, to enable Member States to raise ambition in their nationally determined contributions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 45 per cent by 2030 and reaching the goal of zero net emissions in 2050; and to achieve sustainable development co-benefits that will make a difference in the lives of all peoples.”

The United Nations System includes the United Nations and its subsidiary bodies (such as the separately-administered funds and programmes, research and training institutes, and other subsidiary entities), specialised agencies, and affiliated organisations.