UNITED NATIONS UN Climate Change Summit 2019

Climate Action Summit Press Releases
New York, 23 September

In the face of worsening climate crisis, UN Summit delivers new pathways and practical actions to shift global response into higher gear.

Leaders from government, business, and civil society today announced potentially far-reaching steps to confront climate change at the United Nations Secretary-General’s Climate Action Summit in New York.

Opening Press Release

Summit delivers major step up in national ambition and private sector action on pathway to key 2020 climate deadline. As recognition mounts that time is running out, youth leaders warn: ‘we will be watching'.

Major announcements by government and private sector leaders at the United Nations Climate Action Summit boosted climate action momentum, and demonstrated growing recognition that the pace of climate action must be rapidly accelerated.

Closing Press Release

Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary General. ©UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe

Climate Action Summit, 23 September

Climate change is the defining issue of our time and now is the defining moment to do something about it. There is still time to tackle climate change, but it will require an unprecedented effort from all sectors of society. To boost ambition and accelerate actions to implement the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, UN Secretary-General António Guterres is asking leaders, from government, business and civil society, to come to the 2019 Climate Action Summit on 23 September with plans to address the global climate emergency. The Summit will spark the transformation that is urgently needed and propel action that will benefit everyone.

Renewable energy offers new job opportunities and is crucial to creating more sustainable and inclusive communities. Photo: Karsten Wurth

Youth Climate Summit, 21 September

The Youth Climate Summit — the first UN climate summit for young people — will provide a platform for young leaders to showcase their solutions and meaningfully engage with decision-makers. This historic event will take place as part of a weekend of events leading up to the UN Secretary-General’s Climate Action Summit on 23 September. The Youth Climate Summit will feature a full-day programme bringing together young activists, innovators, entrepreneurs, and change-makers who are committed to addressing the global climate emergency. It will be action-oriented, intergenerational, and inclusive, with equal representation of young leaders from all walks of life.

Press Release

UN Secretary-General stands in the center of a group of young people holding a 'Youth2030' banner.

Secretary-General António Guterres speaks with youth attendees of the high-level event on Youth2030 in September 2018. ©UN Photo/Mark Garten

Announcements

The Climate Action Summit will showcase new initiatives by government, business and civil society to increase their commitments achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement and work toward reducing emissions to essentially zero by mid-century. The event will also provide a platform for countries and businesses to demonstrate how they will reduce emissions by at least 45 per cent by 2030, and a target of achieving carbon neutrality by mid-century.

A train snakes its way through Seoul, Republic of Korea. ©UN Photo/Kibae Park

Explore the 28 Summit Initiatives on the Global Climate Action portal

The initiatives demonstrate that achieving the 1.5°C goal requires the mobilization of all actors across society – countries, regions, cities, companies, investors, and other organizations – working collaboratively towards reducing emissions to net zero by 2050. The initiatives are organized under the Summit’s nine Action Areas.

Global Climate Action

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The COP25 will be held in Chile from 2 to 14 December 2019, bringing together governments, civil society, private sector and environmental organizations to call for more ambitious actions to tackle climate change.

COP25 Santiago de Chile

December 2-14, 2019

Santiago de Chile, Chile

Seizing the opportunity of the climate action momentum, the Asia-Pacific Climate Week 2019 will boost the region’s response to the current climate emergency, with discussions on energy transition, industry transition, infrastructure, cities and local action, resilience and adaptation, and nature-based solutions.

Asia Pacific Climate Week

September 2-6, 2019

Bangkok, Thailand

The Latin America and Caribbean Climate Week 2019, hosted by Brazil, will demonstrate increasing climate ambition across the region, from technical discussions to thematic dialogues. The results of the event will feed into the outcome of the Climate Action Summit organized by the UN Secretary-General on 23 September in New York.

Latin America Climate Week

August 21-23, 2019

Salvador de Bahía, Brazil

The central purpose of the Abu Dhabi Climate Meeting is to take stock of progress so far across all the Action Areas of the Climate Action Summit, and identify and develop proposals, based on the criteria established for initiatives to be considered for announcement at the Summit.

Abu Dhabi Climate Meeting

30 June - 1 July, 2019

Abu Dhabi

Climate Action Summit Press Releases New York, 23 September