UNGA 73: World Leaders Urge Accelerated Action To Address Climate Change

The 73rd session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA 73) high-level General Debate focused on implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on climate change, among other topics. Leaders underscored the need for accelerated action to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, with small island developing States (SIDS) and others stressing climate action as a matter of their survival.

The 2018 debate featured 77 Heads of State, 44 Heads of Government, five Vice‑Presidents, four Deputy Prime Ministers, 54 Ministers, one Vice-Minister and eight Chairs of Delegation. The Debate ran from 25 September through 1 October 2018 at UN Headquarters in New York, US, and focused on the theme, ‘Making the UN relevant to All People: Global Leadership and Shared Responsibilities for Peaceful, Equitable and Sustainable Societies.’

In his opening remarks, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described climate change as a “direct existential threat” and emphasized that the world has reached a pivotal moment at which it risks “runaway climate change” if we do not change course in the next two years. He appealed to world leaders to listen to scientists, observe what is happening and guarantee implementation of the Paris Agreement. He urged governments to end subsidies for fossil fuels, establish a fair price for carbon and invest in sustainable infrastructure.

This policy brief reviews leaders’ statements on climate change during the 2018 General Debate, including statements in support of climate action and implementation of the Paris Agreement. It discusses leaders’ statements on climate and security; the impacts of climate change on their countries and regions, including adaptation measures taken; climate mitigation and energy actions; climate policies and frameworks adopted or implemented by countries; climate financing; and the UN Secretary-General’s 2019 Climate Summit.

Several leaders identified climate change as one of the greatest global challenges, including Brunei, Canada, Chile, the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Haiti, Iceland, India, Palau, New Zealand, Nigeria, Samoa, San Marino, Serbia, Solomon Islands, Spain, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Timor-Leste and Trinidad and Tobago. Bhutan described climate change as both a serious threat to humanity and to sustainable development. Dominica said climate change is “the main symptom of our world’s broken economy, society and humanity.” Seychelles recognized climate change as an existential threat, not only to the lives of people in island States, but “the world as a whole.” Tuvalu said that every year with no climate action draws Tuvalu “a year closer to its total demise from earth.”

Several leaders urged increased, accelerated global action on climate change, including Andorra, the Bahamas, Bhutan, Croatia, Dominican Republic, Fiji, Finland, FSM, Guinea-Bissau, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR), Malawi, the Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Monaco, Mongolia, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. France called for countries to make concrete commitments to innovate and accelerate progress towards the Paris Agreement targets. Mexico stressed implementation of the Paris Agreement as a priority, emphasizing that the international community has a “moral obligation” to implement it as well as to achieve even more ambitious goals.

Fiji said the struggle to tackle global warming and end ocean degradation will continue to be Fiji’s highest priority even after it completes its role as President of the 23rd session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 23) to the UNFCCC. As part of Fiji’s efforts to “lead from the front,” he announced that Fiji will commit to being a net zero GHG emission country by 2050. Samoa urged every individual leader and country to raise the level of ambition. Tuvalu called for dramatically increasing efforts to reduce GHG emissions, including through re-assessing and increasing mitigation pledges under the Paris Agreement. The FSM and Tuvalu called on certain countries to reconsider withdrawing from the Paris Agreement.

Countries also emphasized the importance of collective, global action on climate change. Samoa urged collective efforts to address climate change, stressing that “no one country, or single group of nations, and no single organization can solely win the war against climate change.” Bosnia and Herzegovina stressed the transnational dimensions of climate change, among other global challenges, saying it requires a multilateral response based on cooperation between all nations. Albania and Ireland also recognized the necessity of collective action to address climate change. Tanzania said climate change and global warming “can only be addressed effectively through multilateral approaches.” Gabon said implementing the Paris Agreement is a “moral and universal responsibility” and the UN must step up its leadership role to ensure that efforts to tackle climate change are strengthened.

Several countries urged increased focus on implementation of the Paris Agreement, including Belgium, Estonia, Niger, Slovakia, Uruguay and Togo. The Central African Republic (CAR), Germany, the Holy See, Luxembourg, Mozambique, Montenegro, Paraguay and Timor-Leste also expressed support for implementing the treaty.

India reiterated the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities (CBDR-RC) in the Paris Agreement. Kuwait identified environmental degradation as one of the main challenges in achieving the Paris Agreement, and underscored the “principle of shared responsibility, taking into account the disparity of responsibilities and burdens of States.” Nicaragua called for urgent action to combat climate change, emphasizing CBDR and urging major GHG emitters to contribute to the planet’s recovery. Suriname shared its efforts towards climate mitigation while regretting that global commitments, based on CBDR, “have yet to materialize.” Canada said developing countries should not be punished for climate change nor deprived of opportunities for clean growth.

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James Ume reporting from New York.