This year’s two-part America’s Pledge analysis explores the 2030 impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our energy systems and climate action, and provides a look back on climate progress made by state, city, and business leadership over the past three years. If passed, the bill would codify in state statute climate-related targets set by Gov. His country has a national strategy for sustainable development that integrates climate issues, looking all the way to 2050, and two months ago established a Centre for Climate and Sustainable Development in Rome. Ms. CECI said early stumbling blocks in the green market emerged when trying to fulfil the needs of pension funds while meeting the goals of issuers. Further, the President’s Office is conducting a study to quantify the benefits of climate action, including how preventable deaths can be reduced by improving public transit networks. Addressing the real‑life impact of climate change was Shedona Richardson, youth representative of Grenada. One model shows marine fisheries would lose 3m tonnes at 2C, twice the decline at 1.5C. Moderated by Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary of the Convention, it featured Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama, Prime Minister of Fiji; Michał Kurtyka, Secretary of State at the Ministry for Energy and Environment of Poland; and Carolina Schmidt, Minister for Environment of Chile. The Green New Deal is a plan to mobilize every aspect of American society to 100% clean and renewable energy, guarantee living-wage jobs for anyone who needs one, and a just transition for both workers and frontline communities—all in the next 10 years. • By 2100, global sea level rise would be 10cm lower with global warming of 1.5C compared with 2C. “Climate justice is intergenerational justice,” she said, calling on States to act collectively and responsibly. The number affected would increase substantially in the following centuries due to locked-in ice melt. The Government has identified a number of atolls where such projects can be replicated and scaled up if the proper development assistance is made available. High-level Meeting on Climate and Sustainable Development (AM & PM). Global warming is approaching 3°C above pre-industrial levels. The Fund has built a portfolio of 102 projects worth $5 billion that includes cross-cutting city programmes and partnerships with local financial institutions. The report will be presented to governments at the UN climate conference in Poland at the end of this year. He suggested the use of an integrated narrative that brings the Sustainable Development Goals and climate action together in an exciting way that promotes systemic changes. Ms. ROBINSON said the debate on climate change is evolving and the seriousness of the situation is being acknowledged. The General Assembly then held a high-level panel discussion on “Means of implementation”, moderated by Jayathma Wickramanayake, Special Envoy for Youth of the Secretary-General. She noted the importance of addressing the negative effects of new technologies like solar pumps, or how moving from plastic to glass bottles may increase emissions due to transportation. Noting that “hundreds of thousands — perhaps millions” of people have been affected by cyclone Idai in Mozambique, Malawi and Zimbabwe, he said such events are becoming more frequent and will become worse without urgent, immediate action. During the summit last weekend, 45 countries presented enhanced 2030 climate-action plans. She added that young people have a lot of power to raise their voices in that domain. Mexico is promoting the integration of stakeholders as a means to identify new opportunities emerging from climate action. The UK has announced its NDC, with an emissions cut of 68% by 2030 compared with 1990 levels, a marked improvement on its 2015 NDC containing only a 53% cut, though climate experts said a … He pointed to the shift towards a green economy in India as an example of best practice and said upcoming high-level meetings provide a stage to catalyze greater action. Every year 1.3 billion tons of food are wasted as some 2 billion people suffer of hunger and malnutrition. The goal: to build a better future by cutting greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030. All rights reserved. Such action must be based on a new narrative that promotes systemic change, said Manish Bapna, Executive Vice-President of the World Resources Institute. The Sustainable Development Goals are integral to mitigating the effects of climate change, but a warming planet will make the Goals impossible to realize. At 2C extremely hot days, such as those experienced in the northern hemisphere this summer, would become more severe and common, increasing heat-related deaths and causing more forest fires. Sea ice-free summers in the Arctic, which is warming two to three times faster than the world average, would come once every 100 years at 1.5C, but every 10 years with half a degree more of global warming. Further echoing the global youth’s call to action was United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, who said young people are demanding that today’s leaders act on behalf of future generations. ... and that from 2030 to 2050 the rates of deployment remain constant. To prevent irreversible harm to Earth’s life-support systems, humanity must emit less climate-warming greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide, while also removing excess carbon from the atmosphere. Ms. ESPINOSA, noted that, as in a family, the parties had experienced disagreements but that discussions were ultimately successful, laying the groundwork for the Twenty-fourth Conference of the Parties to the Conference, which took place in Katowice, Poland, in December 2018, and the Twenty-fifth Conference, to take place in Santiago, Chile, in December 2019, known as COP24 and COP25, respectively. A civil society representative echoed Ms. Robinson’s focus on youth, noting it has taken worldwide protests by young people to combat special interests that seek to uphold the status quo. Mr. BAPNA said the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is a real triumph. The floor was then opened for respondents. Ms. KING, closing the discussion, said action requires strong partnerships and better coherence among multiple partners. ... efficiency of buildings and creating an electric car club to help it become carbon-zero by 2030. Children, adults and older persons all live in the same house and must look after it by working together. The Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5 °C (SR15) was published by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) on 8 October 2018. But he said opinion had shifted in the past few years along with growing evidence of climate instability and the approach of tipping points that might push the world off a course that could be controlled by emissions reductions. “Climate change is occurring earlier and more rapidly than expected. “People in Beijing have never experienced so many hot days as this summer. He called for every individual to take the issue personally, then collectively positive changes can be achieved. The Climate Centre in Morocco is helping Africa deal with the Sahel region, and the country is researching solar and new types of energy technology. The exchange of ideas was inspiring, and his country had prepared a report summarizing the exchange of ideas. OMAR FIGUEROA, Minister for State of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries, the Environment, Sustainable Development and Immigration of Belize, said Governments alone cannot solve the problem and the private sector and youth must be involved. He stressed the importance of the role of women as key decisions-makers, adding that the summit will assemble Governments, the private sector, local authorities and other organizations. The world’s leading climate scientists have warned there is only a dozen years for global warming to be kept to a maximum of 1.5C, beyond which even half a degree will significantly worsen the risks of drought, floods, extreme heat and poverty for hundreds of millions of people. He encouraged young people to organize and access the Fund. Future vast global infrastructure investment must be sustainable and climate-friendly. Then the final tick box is political will. Only 11 Years Left to Prevent Irreversible Damage from Climate Change ... social and environmental dimensions of the 2030 ... stressing that 11 years are all that remain to avert catastrophe. Countdown is a global initiative to accelerate solutions to the climate crisis. At 1.5C the proportion of the global population exposed to water stress could be 50% lower than at 2C, it notes. A national climate change plan is preparing the United Arab Emirates to transition towards a green economy, he said, calling for the inclusion of the private sector, academia and youth in climate-related summits. Young people are demanding that today’s leaders act on behalf of future generations. “We have to reimagine the energy system and cities,” he said, calling for greater awareness of intergenerational equity. People, technology and nature are the three elements involved in change. The report, approved in Incheon, South Korea, includes over 6,000 scientific references, and was prepared by 91 authors from 40 countries. This is more about technology than politics.”, James Hansen, the former Nasa scientist who helped raised the alarm about climate change, said both 1.5C and 2C would take humanity into uncharted and dangerous territory because they were both well above the Holocene-era range in which human civilisation developed. But he said there was a huge difference between the two: “1.5C gives young people and the next generation a fighting chance of getting back to the Holocene or close to it. “That was the day mother nature fought back after being treated so unkindly for so long,” she said, adding that the international community is failing to act as small island developing States face the existential threat of climate change. But the costs of doing nothing would be far higher. Ms. WICKRAMANAYAKE next asked Mr. Hassan what approaches were being taken in the Maldives to strengthen resilience and adaptation. Monaco aims to reduce emissions by 50 per cent by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 and plans to replenish the Green Climate Fund by €3 million by 2022. SHEDDONA RICHARDSON, youth representative of Grenada, said climate change, global warming and the greenhouse gas effect were ambiguous terms until her life was affected by Hurricane Ivan in 2004. “Climate justice is intergenerational justice,” she said, adding that States must act collectively and responsibly. In the run-up to the final week of negotiations, there were fears the text of the report would be watered down by the US, Saudi Arabia and other oil-rich countries that are reluctant to consider more ambitious cuts. The report authors are refusing to accept defeat, believing the increasingly visible damage caused by climate change will shift opinion their way. The Caribbean faces intensifying storm seasons and small countries are struggling to cope with that changing reality. The Assembly will reconvene at 10 a.m. on Friday, 29 March, to resume the high-level meeting. Following devastating hurricanes in the US, record droughts in Cape Town and forest fires in the Arctic, the IPCC makes clear that climate change is already happening, upgraded its risk warning from previous reports, and warned that every fraction of additional warming would worsen the impact. Pointing to agents of change, he stressed the importance of the role of women as key decisions makers, adding that the summit will assemble Governments, the private sector, local authorities and other organizations. Ms. ESPINOSA closed the fireside chat by asking panellists what one word they would use to motivate youth leaders. The authors said nothing of substance was cut from a text. It has a scientific robustness that shows 1.5C is not just a political concession. He highlighted that the past four years have been the warmest in history and greenhouse gases have increased by 2.7 per cent. The representative of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN-Women) reiterated the need for synergies between climate actions and sustainable development. ANTÓNIO GUTERRES, Secretary-General of the United Nations, said no country or community is immune to climate-related devastation, with the poor and vulnerable the first to suffer the worst hit. Ms. SCHMIDT, President of COP25, called for change and action, stressing that climate action must be linked to long-term development and poverty reduction. “We must address this global emergency with ambition and urgency,” he stressed, remarking that climate change threatens decades of development progress and plans for inclusive sustainable development. During that discussion, Fiji’s Prime Minister Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama, who served as President of the Twenty-third Conference of the Parties, said that, while the gathering featured disagreements and finger pointing, the spirit of cooperation and understanding prevailed. The process had demonstrated that multilateralism is alive and ready to address the challenges of climate change, but there is no time to lose, she said. The half-degree difference could also prevent corals from being completely eradicated and ease pressure on the Arctic, according to the 1.5C study, which was launched after approval at a final plenary of all 195 countries in Incheon in South Korea that saw delegates hugging one another, with some in tears. • Extreme heatwaves will be experienced by 14% of the world's population at least once every five years at 1.5C. In the afternoon, the General Assembly held a high-level panel discussion on “Synergies between climate and sustainable development agendas”, moderated by Inga Rhonda King (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines), President of the Economic and Social Council. Scientists who reviewed the 6,000 works referenced in the report, said the change caused by just half a degree came as a revelation. Without concrete action, the planet will continue to get warmer. Ms. FOUAD said such technologies yield positive results but developing countries require developed States to promote technology transfers to make them affordable. “The time for talking and listening must now give way to action,” he said, noting that three years after the Paris Agreement, the world is facing worsening climate impacts. “We all know that the green economy is the future, but we must make sure that everyone benefits, and no one is left behind,” he said. For climate action to succeed it must account for the needs of all affected communities, she noted, adding that the University of Mauritius is set to host a multi-stakeholder climate justice conference. “2019 must be the year of climate action at all levels,” she stressed. (a) Substantially reduce global disaster mortality by 2030, aiming to lower the average per 100,000 global mortality rate in the decade 2020–2030 compared to the period 2005–2015; ( b ) Substantially reduce the number of affected people globally by 2030, aiming to lower the average global figure per 100,000 in the decade 2020–2030 compared to the period 2005–2015; She called for increased focus on “ambition, mitigation and adaptation” when considering implementation efforts. The meeting — held pursuant to General Assembly resolution 72/219 (2017) — will run through 29 March with a focus on protection of the global climate for present and future generations, in the context of the economic, social and environmental dimensions of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Only our audience can – and that is the governments that receive it.”. This would require carbon prices that are three to four times higher than for a 2C target. Highlighting the meeting’s theme, Ms. Espinosa called for an intergenerational approach to climate change. She concluded by calling for an intergenerational approach to climate change. The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 was adopted at the Third UN World Conference in Sendai, Japan, on March 18, 2015. Environmental issues and sustainable development, Round-up of the Security Council's activities, Main part of the 75th session of the General Assembly, High-Level Meetings of the 75th General Assembly. Addressing the heads of State and Government present at the meeting, she said:  “Our future is in your hands, do not let the hope of the world be in vain.”. Just over a decade is all that remains to stop irreversible damage from climate change, world leaders heard today as the General Assembly opened a high‑level meeting on the relationship between the phenomenon and sustainable development. Morocco established the Marrakesh Proclamation calling for capacity-building and technology transfer. “Now is the time for action,” she said, pointing to the direct impact climate change is having on small island developing States, women and young people. Mr. BAINIMARAMA, who served as President of the Twenty-third Conference of the Parties to the Conference, which took place in Bonn, Germany, in November 2017, known as COP23, noted that discussions were conducted not with finger-pointing but with empathy and understanding. Mr. KURTYKA, who served as President of COP24, responded that in its wake global climate governance is in place, but implementation is the new direction. Turning to population growth, he said Africa may have 4 billion inhabitants by the end of the century. The direct impact of climate change hits the poorest nations hardest as they lack resources to properly mitigate the phenomenon. “But tools are no use if you don’t use them,” he stressed, adding: “We need action, ambition and political will.”. Ms. SVEDLING said the Swedish Parliament adopted legislation with the aim to reach net-zero emissions by 2045. Last year, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ... if the 45% carbon cut target by 2030 is to be met then the plans really need to be on the table by the end of 2020. 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