A ‘new era’ of climate action will need to connect climate policy with real economic outcomes, UN Climate Change executive secretary Simon Stiell has said in a speech at New York Climate Week.
During a flagship event hosted by Mission 2025, Steill emphasised the need to accelerate the deployment of renewables, electrification, greater efficiency and resilience, to ensure that the benefits of climate action are truly global
‘Closer to the real economy’
“This new era of climate action must be about bringing our process closer to the real economy: accelerating implementation and spreading the colossal benefits of climate action to billions more people,” he said.
“Connecting the cabinet rooms closer to the boardrooms to the living rooms is how we supercharge climate action, and get this job done. No easy task. But together we [have built] an extraordinary foundation.
“Because if we look past the noise, the facts show a world aligning with the Paris Agreement.”
Renewable investment
Stiell highlighted that investment in renewables has increased tenfold over the past ten years, with the industry valued at two trillion dollars last year. In addition, he noted that more than 90% of new renewable capacity is cheaper than fossil fuel alternatives, and more effort needs to be made to accelerate its rollout to developing nations.
“Clean power, electrification, efficiency and storage, resilience-building. The toolkits are there, and being put to work,” he commented. “But to ramp up implementation, we need that toolkit in every nation’s hands.
“Because the next step is to extend this Paris-alignment country by country, sector by sector, across every stream of finance – using the next Global Stocktake as the timeline to get there. To succeed in a fast-changing world, we must enhance the force-multipliers.”
Countdown to COP30
Looking ahead to COP30, Stiell commented that the forthcoming Belém summit needs to address countries’ adaptation efforts – as outlined in their NDCs – access to climate finance, and progress in implementation.
“It must show climate multilateralism continues to deliver: with strong outcomes across all negotiations,” he said. “It must spur faster and wider implementation, across all sectors and economies, especially those not yet pricing in climate risks and opportunities.
“It must leave no-one behind. That means delivering for the most vulnerable in all regions, especially emerging and developing countries. And it must speak more clearly to billions more people – showing that bold climate action means better jobs, higher living standards, cleaner air, healthier lives, secure food, affordable energy and transport.”
Stiell concluded his speech by urging countries to stay the course and continue to accelerate actions to ensure the planet stays on track to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement.
“So let’s keep it up, and let’s step it up. Humanity cannot afford to let it stumble,” he said. “Let’s Recognize. Reaffirm. Respond. This is the path to, through, and beyond Belém.” Read more here.
[Image credit: Rafa Neddermeyer/COP30 Brasil Amazônia/PR]
