26 September 2018: The second edition of the One Planet Summit reviewed progress on commitments taken last year and announced a variety of new initiatives to accelerate implementation of the Paris Agreement on climate change. The report titled, ‘One Planet Summit: The Review of the Commitments,’ released at the conclusion of the event, describes 30 actions being taken under 12 broader commitments that span 150 countries.
The Summit’s second gathering follows the inaugural One Planet Summit that took place on 12 December 2017.
For each of the actions, the report describes announcements and commitments made at the 2017 One Planet Summit, reviews accomplishments and implementation to date, and outlines next steps to be taken. Noting that climate change multiplies the power of cyclones and hurricanes, the report’s first commitment focuses on responding to extreme events in island states. Highlighting figures such as the amount of money pledged by partners towards each of the actions under the commitment and the number of beneficiary countries impacted, the report describes the achievements such as the launch of the Caribbean Climate-Smart Accelerator and the Pacific Initiative on biodiversity, climate change and resilience.
Additional 2017 commitments include the protection of land and water against climate change; the mobilization of research and young people; public procurement and access to green financing for local governments; a zero emissions target; zero pollution transport; carbon pricing; and a range of commitments for central banks, multilaterals, sovereign wealth funds and institutional investors. In his opening remarks, Macron noted that society has to shift one third of global financing towards addressing climate change and spurring new climate action.
According to French President Emmanuel Macron, a third of global financing must shift towards addressing climate change.
The report’s fact sheet summarizes new announcements made at the second gathering of the One Planet Summit. It places the commitments into three categories, in line with the 2018 Summit’s three-part agenda: sharing solutions; investing in low-carbon economies; and protecting vulnerable populations. [One Planet Summit: The Review of the Commitments] [Report Fact Sheet]
Throughout the meeting’s three “acts,” over 40 Heads of State and Government, and leaders from the UN system and private sector underscored the urgent need for climate action, and recapped initiatives to deliver on the goals of the Paris Agreement. Video remarks by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the efforts to scale up climate action, calling for greater ambition in the face of the global crisis climate change represents. [UN Secretary-General’s Remarks]
French President Emmanuel Macron described emissions, oceans and biodiversity as the three pillars forming the core elements of collective action on the commitments. Macron, in his capacity as upcoming Chair of the Group of 7 (G7) in 2019, called on leaders to change their core governance and business models, pointing to the One Planet Lab as a means of strengthening implementation and innovating on new ideas. [Summit Recording and Agenda]
A European Commission press release highlights progress on a set of ten commitments titled, ‘Action for the Planet,’ announced at the inaugural One Planet Summit in 2017. It notes that European Commission’s Vice-Presidents Maros Sefcovic and Valdis Dombrovskis and Commissioner Neven Mimica presented to the Summit in New York steps taken in Europe’s coal and carbon-intensive regions, finance for the Pacific region and the EU framework for cutting emissions by at least 40% by 2030. [European Commission Press Release] [Action for the Planet]
The One Planet Summit is an initiative of the Government of France, launched in partnership with the UN, World Bank Group and Bloomberg Philanthropies. Envisioned as “an international platform for commitments and projects that make a difference on climate change action,” the meeting sought to accelerate momentum ahead of the Katowice Climate Change Conference. [One Planet Summit Homepage]