30 August 2018
Monthly Forecast September 2018: Climate Summit, Global Weeks to Build Momentum on Climate Action, SDGs
Photo by Lynn Wagner
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An additional negotiating session to facilitate the timely completion of the Paris Agreement work programme (PAWP) at UNFCCC COP 24 will convene in Bangkok, Thailand, while the Global Climate Action Summit in San Francisco, US, will continue to build momentum towards the COP.

Climate Week NYC 2018 in New York, US will include the One Planet Summit, aiming to build trust and collaboration for multilateral climate action and sustainable development.

With reports of new record high temperatures, summer in the Northern hemisphere has yet again reminded us of the urgency of climate response. People are returning from vacations to a packed September agenda, with SDG 13 (climate action) occupying a prominent place in the beginning of the 73rd UNGA session.

An additional negotiating session to facilitate the timely completion of the Paris Agreement work programme (PAWP) at the 24th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 24) to the UNFCCC will convene in Bangkok, Thailand, at the beginning of the month. The conference is expected to advance discussions on mitigation and adaptation aspects of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), transparency of action and support, the global stocktake (GST), the committee to facilitate implementation and promote compliance, and other issues. A set of seven “tools” issued by the Co-Chairs of the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Paris Agreement (APA) ahead of the session will aid negotiations.

The Global Climate Action Summit, convened by Governor Jerry Brown and the State of California in San Francisco, US, will continue to build momentum towards COP 24 in December. The high-level event will be facilitated by Governor Brown, UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Climate Action Michael Bloomberg, UNFCCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa, Mahindra Group Chair Anand Mahindra, Xie Zhenhua, Special Representative for Climate Change Affairs, China, and Jayathma Wickramanayake, the UN Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth. By providing a platform for state and local governments, business representatives and civil society to showcase climate actions at all levels, the Summit is expected to inspire deeper commitments and accelerated action to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement.

Coming on the heels of the Summit is Climate Week NYC 2018, which will bring together multiple stakeholders for a series of panel discussions, concerts, exhibitions and seminars that will seek to catalyze further climate action by addressing issues related to climate policy, investments and finance, future energy, the SDGs, science, clean transport, sustainable food and travel, and retail. The One Planet Summit and the Bloomberg Global Business Forum will contribute to building trust and collaboration for multilateral climate action and sustainable development.

Taking place alongside Climate Week NYC is Global Goals Week 2018, which seeks to drive progress on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and achieving the SDGs. The two global Weeks take place during the opening of the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA 73), which will hold its general debate on the theme ‘Making the United Nations Relevant to All People: Global Leadership and Shared Responsibilities for Peaceful, Equitable and Sustainable Societies,’ beginning on 25 September. Also convening at the UN that week are high-level events on tuberculosis, non-communicable diseases (NCDs), financing for the 2030 Agenda, and global peace (the Nelson Mandela peace summit).

You can sign up for SDG Knowledge Hub updates here to receive our coverage of UNGA 73, the Climate and Global Goals Weeks, and other SDG-related events to bring you up-to-speed with global action on sustainable development.

Elena Kosolapova


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