UNFCC: Real World Actors Share Progress and Strengthen Resolve at Opening of Global Climate Action Agenda at COP27

The COP26 and COP27 Presidents, the UNFCCC Executive Secretary and the UN Climate Change High-Level Champions for COP26 and COP27, Nigel Topping and Dr. Mahmoud Mohieldin, will open the Global Climate Action Agenda at COP27 with their event “Making Good On Promises.”

Forming part of the Sharm el-Sheikh Implementation Summit, the COP27 High-Level Event on Climate Action includes Sameh Shoukry, COP27 President, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Arab Republic of Egypt; UN Climate Change Executive Secretary, Simon Stiell; as well as industry, cities and civil society leaders, such as Sophia Kianni and Yuriko Koike.

At the event, COP27 President Shoukry will announce the Sharm el-Sheikh Adaptation Agenda to enhance resilience for 4 billion people living in the most climate vulnerable communities by 2030. The Adaptation Agenda is the first comprehensive global plan to rally both State and non-State actors behind a shared set of 30 Adaptation Outcomes that are required by 2030 across food and agriculture, water and nature, oceans and coastal, human settlements and infrastructure systems as well delivery across key enablers of as planning and finance.

In step with COP27’s focus as the ‘Implementation COP’, the event also explores how non-State actors are ‘making good on promises’ to achieve a resilient, net zero future. It is staged in the wake of several reports on the state of climate action, which starkly convey the need to address the current implementation gap with honesty, delivery, and accountability. To take stock of progress towards this, the Champions will today release their ‘Yearbook of Global Climate Action 2022’. The Yearbook reports annually on the progress of non-State entities towards their climate goals, and is proof that – while obstacles remain – businesses, investors, cities, states and regions are building resilience and powering rapid changes in the real economy.

The latest edition of the Yearbook demonstrates that there are signals of change, despite the findingthat the world is nowhere near on track toward a 1.5°C goal. Action by businesses, investors, cities, states, regions and civil societies continues to increase, with 34 Race to Resilience partners from 139 countries taking action to build the resilience of 2.9 billion people, while 26 Race to Zero partners have mobilised more than 11,000 non-State actors from 116 countries taking action to halve global emissions by 2030 and achieve net zero by mid-century at the latest.

What’s more, there is evidence that climate action is becoming better distributed across the globe, with the Global Climate Action Portal recording a jump of 78% in actors from Asia-Pacific and of 67% from Africa. These figures have been boosted by this year’s three Regional Climate Weeks, which attractedapproximately 8,000 participants after a return to an in-person format in 2022.

To drive regional action deeper, the Champions will also use their opening event to preview results from the five Regional Finance Forums, organized by the COP27 Presidency, UN Regional Commissions and the Champions, to accelerate finance to projects in developing economies that reduce emissions,adapt to the impacts of climate change, build climate resilience, and advance the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. A full analysis of the 100+ projects presented at the Forums will be launched tomorrow to coincide with Finance Day, but key findings will be presented in today’s event of what is already a $120 billion investment opportunity, and which is growing exponentially.

If this COP is about implementation, it must also necessarily focus on accountability, in order to fully address the finance and implementation gaps at the speed and scale required. Today’s Yearbook – capturing the vast array of non-State action under the Marrakech Partnership – is one way of holding all actors to account for the promises they have made. Accordingly, it will serve as a vital contribution to both the Global Stocktake and the work of the two High-Level Expert Groups on Net-Zero Emissions Commitments of Non-State Entities and the High-Level Expert Group on Climate Finance.

UN Climate Change Executive Secretary, Simon Stiell, said: “Building the confidence in a faster pathway to solutions means raising ambitions, scaling projects and channelling more money to developing nations. I am delighted therefore to see that this Yearbook of Global Climate Action highlights what needs to happen to reach the 1.5 °C Paris goal, and its goal of resilience.”

UN Climate Change High-Level Champion for COP26, Nigel Topping, said: “Businesses, investors, cities, states, regions and civil society are powering rapid changes in the real economy and already seeing the benefits, the imperative to go faster has never been stronger. Governments should be encouraged by this progress and respond by creating the conditions to collaborate with non-State actors so we can all go further. While the progress is extraordinary, especially when we look at the transformation of the energy and transport sectors, non-State actors must double down and deliver in response to heightening impacts.”

UN Climate Change High-Level Champion for COP27, Dr. Mahmoud Mohieldin, said: “It is imperative to accelerate global climate action through emissions reduction, scaling-up adaptation efforts and enhancing flows of appropriate finance. This has to occur within a more comprehensive agenda for sustainable development that addresses poverty, hunger, unemployment, and enhances women empowerment. The implementation of urgent, ambitious, impactful and transformative action is necessary to support vulnerable communities, achieve a resilient future and carbon neutral transformation, in the context of just transition.”

The Governor of Tokyo, Yuriko Koike, said: “There is truly no time to lose when it comes to climate change. All actors, including the national government, local governments, and companies, must immediately accelerate concrete actions. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government is accelerating its efforts to halve carbon emissions by 2030 and to reach zero emissions by 2050, including the mandatory installation of solar power generation equipment and promoting the broader use of green hydrogen. Time to act. Let’s walk together toward a sustainable future for cities and for the world.”