One Planet Summit, the 7 climate commitments made in New York
Environment — di Andrea Barolini
In New York, running parallel to the United Nations General Assembly, the second edition of the One Planet Summit was held — launched in Paris in 2017.
One Planet Summit, the 7 climate commitments made in New York
In New York, running parallel to the United Nations General Assembly, the second edition of the One Planet Summit was held — launched in Paris in 2017.
Update 27 September – The second edition of the One Planet Summit brought together around thirty heads of government and ministers in New York on 26 September. In addition to France, Spain, Norway, Mexico, Iran and China accepted the invitation. However, it was above all the nations most threatened by rising sea levels that were represented. From this point of view, the result was less impressive than that of the first meeting held in Paris in 2017.
We need a greater sense of urgency. #ClimateAction.
So, I am encouraged to see so many business and government leaders at the #OnePlanetSummit today, demonstrating climate leadership. #UNGA
So, I am encouraged to see so many business and government leaders at the #OnePlanetSummit today, demonstrating climate leadership. #UNGA
"We are not here to talk but to account for our actions"
Alongside political figures, numerous multinational executives attended the talks — among them former Microsoft president Bill Gates — as well as World Bank president Jim Yong Kim. "We are not here simply to talk but to account for our behaviour. I hope we will be able to close the gap between announcements and actions in the coming months," said French president Emmanuel Macron as he opened the conference.
A clear reference to Cop 24, to be held in Katowice, Poland, this coming December. On that occasion, it will be necessary to find the now-famous 100 billion dollars a year needed for climate change adaptation and mitigation policies. First promised at Cop 15 in Copenhagen in 2009, reaffirmed at Cop 21 in Paris in 2015, and still never allocated. Macron also called for vigilance over how such sums would be spent, so that they do not amount to "str…." (the French president used the English word "bullshit").
But the reality is that Paris itself must demonstrate a genuine commitment to the climate in deeds, not just in words. Greenpeace accused the French leader of having put on "a parade" at the One Planet Summit, given that in 2017 France's greenhouse gas emissions, contrary to its pledges, actually increased.
The seven commitments made at the second One Planet Summit
More broadly, new promises were put forward in New York. In some cases these represent significant steps forward, though still largely insufficient in terms of saving the Planet. Seven commitments were made. The first is the creation of the Wall Street Network on Sustainable Finance, chaired by Michael Bloomberg with the aim of redirecting finance towards environmentally compatible ends.
The World Bank, meanwhile, pledged to invest one billion dollars in the development of energy storage systems in developing countries (the target: to increase current capacity from 5 GWh to 17.5). The third commitment comes from the European Union, which will dedicate 25 per cent of its budget (320 billion euros) to climate change projects over the period 2021–2027.
Google, smart cities, waste in Africa and plastic in the Pacific
The fourth commitment is the partnership between investment fund Blackrock (one of the largest in the world) and several public agencies to finance the construction of infrastructure in Latin America, Asia and Africa. Google, Bloomberg Philanthropies and the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy (Global Covenant of Mayors) will then collaborate to make cities "smarter" and improve transport, building-sector emissions and air quality.
Discover the LifeGate PlasticLess initiative, a sea of ideas against an ocean of plastic
The sixth initiative is AfroChampions, which aims to identify, develop and finance the best sustainable waste management projects in Africa. Finally, 20 million euros were pledged to combat the concentration of plastic in the Pacific Ocean.
More than 130 heads of state and government are gathered in New York today for the 73rd General Assembly of the United Nations. It is the perfect moment to hold, in parallel, the second edition of the One Planet Summit, the first edition of which took place in December 2017 in Paris, at the initiative of the French presidency of Emmanuel Macron. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNy0EmjfQIE
In New York to take stock of the commitments made ten months ago
The idea for the conference was born following United States president Donald Trump's announcement of his intention to withdraw from the Paris Agreement. The objective: to raise the financing needed to save the climate, despite America's disengagement. Hence the launch of the "Make Our Planet Great Again" movement, which, paraphrasing a campaign slogan used by Trump himself, seeks to push the world to do more to tackle climate change.
Ten months on, the aim of those who will also attend the climate conference (not all those gathered at the United Nations glass building will do so) is to take stock of the commitments made in the French capital. That is, of twelve pledges, dubbed "Clim'acts", ranging from the response to extreme weather events and the protection of natural resources, to measures supporting sustainable mobility, research and initiatives to promote environmentally sustainable production methods.
The One Planet Summit has delivered some results, but the road ahead is still very long
The second edition of the One Planet Summit will last two and a half hours. In a statement, the organisers explained that "leaders from business and other non-governmental sectors will once again come together to illustrate what concrete steps have been taken so far. And to strengthen multilateral cooperation in favour of the climate."
We are told that it is already too late, so let us innovate, move faster and commit to action. The second #OnePlanetSummit takes place tomorrow. #UNGA
Although the necessary resources are still far from having been allocated, some results have genuinely been achieved. For example, sixteen nations have joined the Carbon Neutrality Coalition. Thirty international partners have also joined forces to support the climate observation from space programme. Meanwhile, the International Solar Alliance today counts 68 member countries and aims to train ten thousand young engineers in photovoltaic technologies.
Nevertheless, Patricia Espinosa, executive secretary of the Unfccc, warned: "Governments are not keeping the promises made at Cop 21 in Paris in 2015. With the efforts made so far, the global average temperature will still rise by approximately 3 degrees Celsius by 2100." Which would amount to a climate catastrophe. A view shared by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres: "The facts are clear and alarming: climate change is moving faster than what we are doing to counter it."