Simon Stiell: Climate action - fundamental issue for people on planet

Climate action is a fundamentally important issue for people on the planet, Simon Stiell, executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), said during the Parliamentary Meeting at COP29, Report informs.

He noted that the global community is not managing to respond to global climate changes in a timely manner.

"Last month, we noticed that our climate actions were not meeting the required pace, both in the latest emissions gap report and in the synthesis report on nationally determined contributions. We realize that our planet is on track for global warming of 2.6-3.1 degrees Celsius. This significantly exceeds the target of 1.5 degrees, which we understand we need to achieve to avoid the worst consequences humanity has ever faced," he said.

Stiell called on the global community to increase climate ambitions and change policies, stating that if humanity does not bridge the gap between stated goals and actual results, the planet faces catastrophe.

"Our stated plans cannot remain on paper; they must be implemented, and we'd better do it faster. This is our last chance," Stiell said.

He also emphasized the need to transition to renewable energy sources, as they are the most effective solution that the global community can adopt.

In conclusion, Simon Stiell stated that the new collective quantitative goal for climate finance will be a key factor in supporting the development of countries worldwide, especially those experiencing the greatest difficulties with climate financing.

"Nationally determined contributions will become some of the most important documents of this century. They will stimulate growth and opportunities for all participants, and this opportunity cannot be missed," he concluded.