27 April 2016: A new initiative has been launched that will build partnerships to help developing countries assist other developing countries implement the Paris Agreement on climate change and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Stressing the importance of South-South cooperation, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon launched the initiative on the sidelines of the High-Level Signing Ceremony for the Paris Agreement on 22 April 2016, at UN Headquarters in New York, US.

Speaking at the launch, Ban said the Southern Climate Partnership Incubator (SCPI) will accelerate efforts to create and finance climate partnerships among developing countries in support of the SDGs, and foster partnerships in the areas of renewable energy, climate resilience, smart cities and big data application.

David Nabarro, Special Advisor to the UN Secretary-General on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Climate Change, underlined that promoting South-South cooperation on climate change is one of the Secretary-General’s “key pillars on climate action.”

Virachai Plasai, Thailand, speaking for the Group of 77 and China (G-77/China), said South-South and triangular cooperation is “dear to the heart of the Group.” He added that solidarity, ownership, country-drivenness and cooperation for mutual benefits were the “essence of South-South cooperation.” However, he also stressed the need for more clarity on financial and logistical aspects of the mechanism, as well as on the roles of the UN Executive Office of the Secretary-General (EOSG), and the UN Office of South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC), in order for Group members to participate in the initiative.

Many participants at the special event launching the initiative identified climate change action as a critical prerequisite for achieving the SDGs, including SDG 13 (Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts), and highlighted the importance of South-South cooperation to combat climate change. They also discussed how stakeholders, including the UN, can work together to develop and strengthen South-south cooperation. Civil society groups expressed the hope that the SCPI initiative will include all stakeholders in the process.

The SCPI initiative will be jointly implemented by the UN EOSG and the UNOSSC, in cooperation with other members of the UN system and the wider stakeholder community. [UN Press Release] [Statement by the G-77/China Chair]