Espinosa: Why G7 needs to provide a clear signal for climate action at Charlevoix Summit
From 8-9 June 2018, Canada will be hosting this year’s G7 Summit. In advance of the meeting, the Executive Secretary of UN Climate Change, Patricia Espinosa, published this statement in the publication ‘G7 Canada: The Charlevoix Summit’:
Strong action now lays the foundation for stronger action later. Strong action now will also increase the chances of attaining the goals of the Paris Agreement, as well as reduce the cost of action in the future. Accelerating action before 2020 in all aspects of climate change action, including reducing emissions and scaling up climate finance, is critical for stronger action later.
At the UN Climate Change Conference COP23 in Germany last year, countries agreed to take stock of action before 2020, both at COP24 in Poland in 2018 as well as in 2019. This represents a good opportunity for countries to reconfirm progress on pre-2020 ambition. For G7 members – and for developed countries more broadly – taking stock also represents an opportunity to fulfil their collective pledge of mobilizing $100 billion annually by 2020.
Many developing countries desperately need this support in order to make their contribution to climate action. I urge G7 members to unlock the promised and necessary funding to make this contribution possible. The contribution by developing countries will become ever more important in the future. Unlocking the promised funds will help the world reach the goals of the Paris Agreement.
The G7 is a very influential group that can make a huge contribution to stepping up climate action and ensuring that 2018 yields a successful outcome for all. The G7 has the power to raise ambition. The G7 can provide the vision to engender renewed political will. And the G7 has the leadership to ensure tangible progress and action before 2020.
A clear signal from the Charlevoix Summit would provide positive impetus for the climate change process in 2018. UN Climate Change stands ready to support all efforts by all countries towards shared success at COP24 in Katowice.
