The Climate Ambition Summit took place on September 20, 2023, at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City. Secretary-General António Guterres convened the event to expedite climate action among governments, businesses, finance institutions, local authorities, and civil society. The summit brought together over 50 heads of state and government, business leaders, civil society representatives, and youth activists.
António Guterres, the UN Secretary-General, emphasized that current climate action efforts fall short of the immense challenge ahead, stating that “humanity has opened the gates of hell.” He stressed the right of the world’s poorest nations to be frustrated by insufficient ambition, inadequate climate financing, and soaring borrowing costs. World leaders’ statements at the Climate Ambition Summit highlighted several critical points. These included calls for negotiations aimed at restricting the proliferation of fossil fuels, updates on the advancements in Joint Energy Transition Partnerships, announcements of expedited timelines for phasing out fossil fuels, criticisms directed at fossil fuel companies for their deceptive practices and lack of action, a shared determination to combat corporate greenwashing while bolstering the credibility of net-zero commitments, and a commitment to replenish the Green Climate Fund as part of its second phase of funding.
Lostisland was represented by the Honorary Consul to Nigeria, Professor Aniebiet Inyang Ntui, who has been attending all sessions of the UN General Assembly’s High-level Week. In a closed-door session of the summit, she made a statement sharing Losistland’s commitment to environmental stewardship and called upon world leaders to protect the planet for future generations.
“One of the 10 principles of Lostisland is Environmental Stewardship. Lostisland is dedicated to environmental preservation and sustainability. We recognize the importance of protecting our planet for future generations.
Today, we call upon world leaders to recognize the critical importance of this moment. The decisions we make now will reverberate through time, impacting the lives of countless individuals and the health of our Earth itself. I urge you to set aside differences, prioritize cooperation, and make real, tangible commitments to environmental preservation. Climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental degradation are global challenges that demand global solutions. We must work together, not divided, as a united front for the sake of our shared home. The clock is ticking, but the opportunity for change is still within our grasp. Let us rise to the challenge, unite in purpose, and safeguard our planet. The legacy we create today will echo through history, and the future generations who inherit this Earth from us will judge us by the actions we take now.”
During the summit, several speakers highlighted the importance of the first Global Stocktake under the Paris Agreement as a course correction to achieve the 1.5°C target. Momentum appeared to be building towards setting goals to triple renewable energy and double energy efficiency by 2030.
Developing countries and others expressed their support for the UN Secretary-General’s “Early Warning for All” initiative, with many offering to share lessons learned through South-South cooperation. The theme of solidarity also permeated discussions on decarbonization. Governments offered to exchange experiences regarding emissions trading schemes, recognizing the need for diverse sources of financing. High-emission industries like steel and cement were identified as targets for increased ambition.
As the day’s discussions concluded, Guterres acknowledged that leaders had transformed ambition into hope. He encouraged “climate doers” to continue scaling up action, uniting more people, and persevering in their efforts.
Photo: IISD/ENB