In April, a virtual high-level summit on climate issues was held under the chairmanship of UN Secretary-General António Guterres and Brazilian President Luiz da Silva. It was attended by 17 leaders representing both the world's largest economies and countries that are highly vulnerable to global warming. The goal of the meeting was to mobilize international climate action ahead of the UN Climate Conference (COP30), which will be held in Brazil.
The two-hour closed-door meeting brought together representatives from China, the European Union, the African Union, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and small island developing states.
"As we heard today, the world is moving forward — at full speed. No country or group of countries will stop the clean energy revolution," Guterres stated at the press conference following the summit.
"The Economic Opportunity of the Century"
According to the Secretary-General, many leaders pledged to present new, bold climate plans as soon as possible — or, as they are referred to at the UN, Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). These plans will set the course of action for the next decade and support the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources
The UN Secretary-General also reported that President Xi Jinping confirmed during the meeting that China’s updated Nationally Determined Contributions will cover all sectors of the economy, as well as greenhouse gas emissions. The Secretary-General considers this clarification "extremely important" for combating climate change.
The UN Secretary-General added that prices for renewable energy have sharply declined, making them "the most reliable path to energy sovereignty and security, and to moving away from unstable and costly fossil fuel imports."
Since the adoption of the Paris Agreement in 2015, projections for global warming have decreased—from more than 4 degrees Celsius to 2.6 degrees Celsius if current plans are implemented. However, this still falls short of the goal to keep temperature rise within 1.5 degrees Celsius.
The Secretary-General urged leaders to submit national plans aligned with this target and reaffirming their commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.
“Africa and other regions of the developing world are warming faster, and Pacific island nations are facing more rapid sea level rise, even as the global average is also accelerating,” he said.
The Secretary-General called on countries to provide a convincing plan to mobilize $1.3 trillion annually for developing countries by 2035, to double adaptation funding to $40 billion this year, and to increase contributions to the new Loss and Damage Fund established at COP28.
Guterres also announced that a high-level event will be held at the UN in September — just weeks before COP30 — to assess progress in implementing climate plans.
According to news.un.org, Indigenous peoples of the North, including the Inuit and Sámi, who have faced a complete transformation of their way of life, experience funding constraints as the resources do not reach them directly. Additionally, the drying up of inland water bodies continues. The Aral Sea, which requires major international efforts and measures to restore the entire basin, is a prime example. The same applies to Lake Urmia, and now the Caspian Sea is at risk. Its shrinking threatens not only the ecosystems of the coastal states but also contributes to climate change across the entire continent.
Glacier loss continues in the Alps (about 30% has melted). In the mountains of Central Asia, particularly in Tajikistan, melting is occurring at a slower pace than in the Alps but still threatens the water basins of the Syr Darya and Amu Darya rivers. This situation demands thorough scientific analysis, engineering work, and ecosystem adaptation. Therefore, beyond funding announcements, a targeted approach is necessary—clearly defining the goals of the projects for which the funds are intended.
