As New York City prepares for the historic September 21 "People's Climate March", where tens of thousands are expected to demand rigorous and rapid action in the battle to curb climate change, details about the historic Ban Ki-moon UN Climate Summit two days later are swiftly coming into focus.
While over 100 world leaders and/or their top negotiators are expected in New York that Tuesday, the Summit is also well on track to deliver on its major goal of assembling leaders from civil society, business and indigenous groups to share visions and plans to grease the wheels on the official UNFCCC Climate Talks.
In a Climate Nexus telephone briefing this morning, Selwin Hart, director of the U.N. climate team, predicted the Summit will initiate "a major turning point in the way the world is approaching climate change."
"The countries will be represented at high levels and we expect them to make high-quality announcements," Hart said.
World Bank special envoy on climate change Rachel Kyte said the names of the companies attending the talks will not be released until just before the Summit, but indicated a “significant number” of U.S. companies (both Fortune 500 and smaller companies) support pricing carbon as a key contribution towards lowering global Green House Gases (GHGs).
The September Summit is the first time since the 2009 UNFCCC Copenhagen climate talks that world leaders, including President Barack Obama, are assembling to address the urgent need to aggressively tackle global warming.
Among the leaders already pledged to attend are Italy’s Matteo Renzi, Bangladesh's Sheikh Hasina, Chile's Michelle Bachelet, Tanzania's Jakaya Kikwete, Denmark's Halle Thornig Schmidt, France's Francoise Hollande, and Mexico's Enrique Pena Nieto.
Both China and India are expected to send high-level representatives, with China expected to announce new plans relative to energy and coal use, plans which could have major implications to avoid catastrophic climate impacts.
Thirty-eight civil society representatives have been selected from over 500 nominations to participate. Kathy Jetnil-Kijiner from the College of the Marshall Islands and Jo-Jikum - Marshall Islands will be the Speaker for the Opening Ceremony.
Three civil representatives will serve as panelists in "Voices from the Frontlines of Climate Change", a debate organized by UN Women, UNICEF, and UNFPA: From Nepal, Alina Saba representing Mugal Indigenous Women’s Upliftment Institute and the Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development; Christina Ora from the Solomon Islands Pacific Youth Council; and, from Uganda, Sylvia Atugonza Kapello of the Riamiriam Civil Soceity Network in Karamoja.
The Secretary General Ban announced the Summit last September, prior to the UNFCCC talks in Warsaw, with a challenge for collaboration among groups who heretofore have not been involved in the official negotiating process and calling for “bold pledges” and “concrete action that will close the emissions gap and put us on track for an ambitious legal agreement through the UNFCCC process.”
Hundreds of thousands of people will march in the streets of major cities around the world on September 21 to support climate action, demanding clean air, better jobs, improved health and stronger economies. Along with New York, major marches are expected in cities such as Berlin, London, Delhi, Melbourne, Rio, Johannesburg, and Lagos.
The UN Secretary General has noted that “Solutions exist and we are already seeing significant changes in government policies and investments in sustainable ways of living and doing business ... The race is on, and now is the time for leaders to step up and steer the world towards a safer future.”
The Summit will also include "Action Area Sessions" which will include civil society leaders, non-governmental organizations and indigenous peoples.
Sign up For the People's Climate March Now!
New York City, Sunday, September 21
Have you signed up yet to participate in the Peoples' Climate March? The September 21 March is being held two days before the UN Climate Summit, where government and corporate leaders will convene to discuss taking action to address climate change.
Tens of thousands are expected to march in New York City and over 700 groups and organizations are participating.
Let's make September a game-changer for the climate movement. Sign up now for a bus, train, or ride shares (or volunteer transport.) Individuals, campuses, churches and organizations are registering to host marchers.
Sign up here!!! --> People's Climate March