An ambitious global action plan, launched at Climate Week NYC, proves some ‘to-do lists’ are more critical than others.
The largest annual climate event of its kind – second only to COP – sees a mass gathering this week of governments, businesses, climate leaders, action takers, civil society and innovators to uncover the latest drivers in climate action and spark discussions for future achievements.
The Global To-Do List to implement climate action, was launched via video at the opening ceremony in New York, and included insights from Professor Tim Lenton from the University of Exeter and Eugenia Kargbo, Chief Heat Officer & Senior Heat Strategist Africa, Freetown City Council.
Tim Lenton said: “Our response to climate change is sluggish, and we need to go a lot faster. That's why a 12-month timeline for climate action is so important: it accelerates change and brings us closer to positive tipping points that propel unstoppable emissions reductions. We have to embrace change because it's become a matter of life or death. Every year of delay is a year of counting more body bags.”
Eugenia Kargbo said: “The impact of climate change is very extreme. Temperatures are rising at an exponential rate, and so are humidity levels. We see flooding happening, people are dying. It’s time to stop talking and start taking action at a scale that matches the urgency of the climate crisis.”
Climate Week NYC is run by The Climate Group, the international non-profit organization, in partnership with the United Nations and the City of New York.
The theme for this year’s Climate Week NYC is It’s Time, which underscores the urgency for robust measures to start reducing emissions almost immediately and address the emissions gap between the scientific requirements to combat climate change and the actual delivery from governments and businesses.
The US, with its most ambitious administration on climate in history, only reduced emissions by 1.9 per cent in 2023.
Two years ago the IPCC calculated that greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) would need to drop by 43 per cent by 2030 to stay on course, but global emissions remain high despite the increase in renewables and sales of electric vehicles.
Helen Clarkson OBE, CEO at Climate Group, said: “It’s time for a reality check. We can’t keep making ambitious commitments but then only half implementing them. We can’t afford to waste another year. One year, seven actions - this is our call to arms.
“Climate discussions often focus on targets we need to reach by 2030, or even 2050. These are important milestones, but when it comes to the results we need right now, we’re still collectively failing. Governments and business could start taking these steps, this month, right now.”
The Global To-Do List calls for seven climate actions across key sectors and systems. They are:
1. Support workers to power down coal - Bolder policies are needed to enable a faster plan to replace more coal by 2030
2. Unleash renewables - Climate Group is urging for governments to break down barriers this year, to reach goal of tripling global renewable energy capacity by 2030
3. Ban relining of coal-based steel furnaces - Electric furnaces and production of green hydrogen should be the norm from now on
4. Get serious on methane - Climate Group is calling for governments to build a more powerful and authoritative global agency to audit fossil fuel companies’ declarations and delivery and tackle the biggest leaks
5. Stop ignoring energy efficiency - Every business should set a target to become 5 per cent more efficient in 12 months’ time and governments need to be bolder. The G20 should agree a minimum investment incentive, following the lead of the US
6. Buy clean – Every government and large business should be buying healthy, lower carbon food, setting targets for lower carbon steel and concrete, and buying 100 per cent renewables and EVs
7. Tax oil and gas companies to fund the transition - The G20 should agree a minimum new import tax on oil and gas
Climate Week NYC provides a platform for around 900 bigger and smaller events across the City of New York, led by organizations that want to push the needle on climate.
The urgent call to action comes ahead of COP29 to be held in in Azerbaijan this November.
