17 December 2014: “The stars are aligned” for the international community to take historic action on climate, sustainable development and financing in 2015, said UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon as he reviewed the challenges and achievements of 2014. He called the Lima session of the Conference of Parties (COP 20) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) the “most encouraging” climate negotiations so far, and urged a high level of ambition in forging a new global agenda for development and securing a climate change agreement in 2015.

In a press briefing to wrap up the year, on 17 December 2014, Ban drew attention to three high-level meetings taking place in 2015: on financing for development in Addis Ababa, Ethopia; on the post-2015 development agenda in New York, US; and on climate change in Paris, France.

He said the progress made in Lima included a draft negotiating text for COP 21 in Paris in 2015, and agreement by all governments to curb the growth in carbon emissions. He also noted the initial US$10 billion capitalization of the Green Climate Fund (GCF).

Ban also reviewed the challenges of 2014, including the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, the Israel-Palestine conflict and several humanitarian emergencies. He noted that 2014 saw the largest-ever displacement of people since World War II, with 50 million people on the move and over 100 million in need of humanitarian assistance. He said the UN system has been tested in unprecedented ways, noting the UN Mission for Ebola Emergency Response (UNMEER) in Ghana as the first UN system-wide emergency health mission to be established.

Highlighting the UN’s 70th anniversary in 2015, Ban called for more action to counter extremism and the targeting of minorities and migrants, end torture everywhere, and stop the ongoing conflict in Syria and elsewhere. He noted the need for the UN itself to continually adapt to the new global landscape. [UN Press Release] [Briefing Transcript] [Briefing Webcast]