Activities of Secretary-General in United Arab Emirates, 29 June – 1 July

On Saturday evening, 29 June, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres travelled from Japan to the capital of the United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi, where, on 30 June, he took part in the Climate Summit Preparatory Meeting ahead of the Climate Action Summit he has convened for September.

On Sunday, the Secretary-General spoke at the opening of the Abu Dhabi meeting, stressing that climate disruption is happening now, and he called for people to seize the opportunity to take bold climate action. (See Press Release SG/SM/19658.)

The Secretary-General emphasized the need for a post-carbon economy, a resilient society and a climate-smart development pathway that can provide prosperity for all on a healthy planet.  He added that that can only be achieved if we all pull together — Governments, businesses and civil society.

He then responded to questions posed by young people on how they can participate in efforts to combat climate change and spoke at a roundtable session on raising ambition in climate action.

The Secretary-General held separate meetings with Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al Nahyan, Crown Prince of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the United Arab Emirates Armed Forces; Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al Nahyan, Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the United Arab Emirates; and Mohammed bin Abdullah al Gergawi, Minister for Cabinet Affairs and the Future of the United Arab Emirates.

In his meetings, the Secretary-General expressed appreciation to the United Arab Emirates for hosting the Climate Preparatory Meeting and for its strong support in mobilizing international action on climate change ahead of the Climate Action Summit in New York in September.

In a helicopter, the Secretary-General flew over the Noor Abu Dhabi solar plant, which is currently the world’s largest.

On Monday morning, 1 July, the Secretary-General traveled back to New York.