Over 100 Countries Unveil New National Climate Action Plans At UN General Assembly Summit

During a significant meeting on Wednesday, leaders from over 100 nations introduced or reaffirmed their climate action strategies. This event was part of the UN General Assembly's high-level week. The summit was led by Secretary-General António Guterres and Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula Da Silva, who will host the COP30 conference in November in Belém, Amazonia.

Guterres emphasised the need for more ambitious plans for 2035. He called for substantial emission reductions aligned with the 1.5-degree target, covering all emissions and sectors, and speeding up a fair global energy transition. He identified five key areas: clean energy transition, methane emission reduction, forest conservation, heavy industry emission cuts, and climate justice for developing countries.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen highlighted that the European Union is progressing with its clean transition. Since 1990, emissions have decreased by nearly 40 percent. She noted that European countries are enhancing global partnerships and remain the largest providers of climate finance. They aim to mobilise up to 300 billion Euros to support worldwide clean energy transitions.

China's President Xi Jinping announced ambitious goals for 2035. The country plans to cut net greenhouse gas emissions by seven to 10 percent from peak levels. Additionally, China aims to increase non-fossil fuel energy consumption to over 30 percent and expand wind and solar power capacity sixfold compared to 2020 levels.

Brazil has pledged significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions by between 59 percent and 67 percent across all economic sectors. The country is also working towards ending deforestation by 2030. Belize's Prime Minister Johnny Briceño shared that their new NDC includes expanding renewable electricity generation to meet 80 percent of domestic needs by 2035.

Leading climate scientists Johan Rockström and Katharine Hayhoe provided a critical evaluation of global efforts towards the Paris Agreement goals. They stressed that achieving the 1.5-degree target is still possible through solutions like shifting from fossil fuels to clean energy sources and transforming food systems to reduce waste.

Paris Agreement Goals

The Paris Agreement requires governments to submit Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), outlining bold actions for the next decade. These plans are essential for limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

The summit underscored the urgency of new national climate action plans as part of ongoing efforts under the Paris Agreement framework. Leaders reiterated their commitment to these goals, recognising the importance of collective action in addressing climate change challenges globally.

With inputs from WAM