United Arab Emirates

Thank you for coming together, in person and on-line, to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the United Nations.

I commend your strong commitment to collection global action, which is needed more than ever today to address our shared challenges and seize common opportunities for a better future.

This Summit falls as the world wrestles with the COVID-19 pandemic, which has devastated lives, economies and communities everywhere, and is jeopardizing our efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. 

I am pleased to greet the International Renewable Energy Agency. 
 
Your Assembly opens a pivotal year in the fight against climate change and for large-scale energy transition, continuing the momentum from the Climate Action Summit I convened in New York last September.
 
The impacts of climate change are upon us, faster than had been predicted. We know what we must do to limit global warming to no more than 1.50 C by 2100 – bring down carbon dioxide emissions globally by about 45 per cent by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050.  
 

I am pleased to greet the United Nations Industrial Development Organization.
 
UNIDO plays an important role in advancing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
 
I commend your focus on harnessing the potential of new technologies.
 
Through your partnerships with governments and the private sector, you can help drive job creation, technology transfer and investments.  
 

Your Excellency, dear Minister, Dear friends and colleagues,
 
These two days have hosted very rich discussions. Let me first thank the UAE for their generous hospitality.
 
Thank you also for your contributions and concrete suggestions on how to increase ambition and accelerate climate action.
 
Your presence sends an enormously powerful signal that we are all together in our battle against climate change.
 
Be assured that the Secretary-General and I deeply appreciate this commitment.
 

Good afternoon everyone,
 
Thank you all for joining us here in Abu Dhabi.
 
I know many of you have traveled long distances to be here.  We are very grateful for your commitment.
 
We have a lot of work to do before the September Climate Action Summit in New York and we are extremely happy to have you on-board – to guide us, to lead us and to push us.
 
Young people like you are at the epicenter of the global conversation around the climate emergency, and for good reason.
 

I am pleased to be with you today.
 
Just as the Climate Action Summit will not be an ordinary summit, this preparatory session in Abu Dhabi is not an ordinary meeting.
 
Our deliberations are proving that.
 
We are bringing out the best ideas and initiatives that can promote the transformations we need to limit climate disruption and build a sustainable world.
 
The Climate Action Summit is not about negotiations for an outcome document. 
 
It is about raising ambition and accelerating action. 
 

The Secretary-General held separate meetings today with H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the United Arab Emirates Armed Forces; H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the United Arab Emirates; and H.E. Mr. Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and the Future of the United Arab Emirates.
 

Your Highness, excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,
 
I am very pleased to join you today.
 
I want to thank the leadership and people of the United Arab Emirates for hosting this important meeting, with the wonderful hospitality, and at the same time, I want to urge all participants to seize this opportunity to take bold climate action.
 
We are here because the world is facing a grave climate emergency.
 
Climate disruption is happening now, and it is happening to all of us.