Climate action impossible without trust, says Patricia Espinosa

The Executive Secretary, United Nations Climate body, Patricia Espionsa, has called on G7 nations to maintain a firm commitment to multilateralism. Espinosa stated this on Friday 27 May 2022 while speaking to G7 climate, energy and environment ministers.

“If promises are not kept, trust will be undermined; and without trust, no collective action is possible,” said Ms. Espinosa.

The G7 environment, climate and energy ministers – from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America – are meeting in Berlin, Germany, from 25 to 27 May.

The meeting is taking place against a backdrop of accelerating climate impacts and massive geopolitical challenges.

“At our current trajectory, global temperatures will rise 3.2C by the end of this century,” she said.

The commitment to meeting the central Paris Agreement goal of holding global average temperature rise to below 1.5C through the Glasgow Climate Pact entails accelerated action and increased climate ambition.

The world’s landmark agreements to collectively tackle climate change – the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Chage, the Paris Agreement and the Glasgow Pact – were the result of multilateralism.

“They showed a willingness to find common ground and to overcome disagreement,” said Ms. Espinosa. “And, above all, the will to shape together a better future for all.”

Ms. Espinosa laid out a concrete list of priorities, specifically on issues related to national climate plans, and on finance and adaptation.