Climate summit in Washington: UN officials seek action to the next level

WASHINGTON: Recalling that just two weeks ago 175 countries came to the United Nations to sign the historic Paris Agreement on climate change, Secretary General Ban Ki moon today said it is time to take climate action to the next level.

“We need to accelerate the speed, scope and scale of our response locally and globally,” Mr Ban told participants of the Climate Action Summit 2016 in Washington D C, a two-day meeting that started today and aims to strengthen the multi-stakeholder approach to climate implementation.

“In particular, it is expected to deepen and expand the action coalitions of government, business, finance, philanthropy, civil society and academic leaders, launched at the Secretary-General’s Climate Summit 2014 in New York.

“I have been looking forward to this event because it is about solutions,  innovation and imagination, collaboration and partnerships between the public and private sectors.

“Today as never before the stars are aligning in favour of climate action. Everywhere I look I see signs of hope,” he said. “Noting that the current Summit would focus on six high-value areas of multi-stakeholder partnership, sustainable energy, sustainable land use, cities, transport and tools for decision-making.”

The UN chief underscored that strong partnership would be needed at all levels to tackle those challenges. No sector of society and no nation can succeed alone. I encourage you to collaborate Innovate Invest Together we can build the world we want,” he said.

The signing of the Paris Agreement on 22 April received overwhelming support from all regions of the world, never before had so many countries signed an international accord in one day.