Secretary-General Declares ‘We Must Move Much Faster’, Urging Leaders’ Meeting at Baku Climate Conference to Keep Pushing for High Ambition Outcome

Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks to the High-Ambition Coalition twenty-ninth UN Climate Change Conference Leaders’ Meeting, in Baku today:

It is a pleasure to join you.  You are a diverse group, united by a shared goal:  ambition.  Nine years ago, you played a key role in the adoption of the Paris Agreement [on climate change].  Today, we need your unity and resolve more than ever to prove that Agreement is working.

The next five years will be decisive.  And the next 12 months must get us on the right path:  to reduce emissions nine per cent every year to the end of this decade to keep 1.5°C alive; to accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels; [and] to unlock finance, fund loss and damage and boost adaptation.

We are seeing glimmers of progress.  When the Paris Agreement was adopted, we were heading for a 4°C rise.  Today’s policies are taking us closer to 3°C.  We have a new Loss and Damage Fund and agreements to boost adaptation financing. The economics will continue propelling us towards a clean future.  No Government and no business can stop that.

But we must move much faster.  And we must ensure the green transition reduces inequalities — within and between nations.  We need this coalition to keep pushing for a high ambition outcome – here in Baku and beyond.  We need every country to prepare and submit ambitious new national climate action plans by COP30 next year, as promised.  These must align with 1.5°C, contribute to the COP28 commitments and put the world on course to phase out fossil fuels fast and fairly.

The biggest emitters — the G20 countries — must lead. And we need your influence and example: to ensure developed countries deliver on their promise to double adaptation finance; to ensure the Loss and Damage Fund has the resources it needs; and to secure an ambitious new finance goal here at COP29 — a goal that mobilizes the trillion of dollars developing countries need.

This starts with a significant increase in concessional public finance, along with clarity on how to mobilize far greater sums.  The goal must also tap innovative sources – such as solidarity levies in areas such as aviation, shipping and fossil fuel extraction. And it must include a transparency and accountability framework to build confidence that funds will be delivered and accessible.

It must also advance efforts to drastically increase the lending capacity of the multilateral development banks.  That requires a major recapitalization.  And it requires reforms of their business models so that they can leverage far more private finance.

Now is the time for ambition and action.  Together, let’s push this process to deliver.  Thank you.