Page 5 - Respond 2022 Magazine

Rt Hon Alok Sharma, MP
Cop26 President

by 2030. I have been urging countries We must also redress the balance, I am determined that the voices of young
to follow this leadership and commit to between finance for mitigation and people, of indigenous people, women
net zero by the middle of the century, finance for adaptation. We are seeing and civil society will be heard, as part of a
and to set out ambitious plans to cut some progress. Every G7 country has truly inclusive summit. I ask global leaders
emissions by 2030, those 2030 Nationally committed to boost finance for adaptation. to take inspiration from the passion that
Determined Contributions. There has been A new Champions Group on Adaptation I have witnessed from them around the
progress, when the UK took on the COP26 Finance is committed to a balance in world, and the ambition and commitment I
Presidency, less than 30 per cent of the public finance, between adaptation and saw on display at the recent Youth4Climate
global economy was covered by a net zero mitigation, we encourage more countries event in Milan.
target. That figure is now 75 per cent, and to join this grouping. We know that without
climbing. In recent days Turkey and the UAE finance, tackling climate change is well nigh Now is the time to redeem ourselves. As
have both declared net zero targets. The impossible. So developed countries must our COP26 President’s Advocate, Sir David
UAE’s an historic first in the Gulf. And I hope deliver on the 100 billion dollars a year Attenborough has said: “The moment of
that others in the region will follow, ahead promised to developing nations. crisis has come… The future of humanity,
of COP26. More than 70 countries in total and indeed all life on earth, depends on us.”
have come forward over the past two years There is no denying that the issues So let’s see world leaders come together
with updated, and more ambitious, 2030 at any COP are complex. Passions, for our planet, in that 2015 spirit of hope,
NDCs, that includes every G7 nation, all of understandably, run high. But ultimately, fraternity, and ambition. Paris promised,
which have NDCs aligned with net zero by success depends on us all. COP26 is not a Glasgow must deliver.
2050, and some of the world’s most climate photo op, nor a talking shop. It must be the
vulnerable countries. They want the same forum where we put the world on track to Rt Hon Alok Sharma MP
ambition, the same level of commitment, deliver on climate. It is leaders who made Cop26 President
from the largest nations, the G20 countries a promise to the world in Paris six years
Adapted from a speech given at the
which account for around 80 per cent of ago, and it is leaders that must honour it.
UNESCO World Heritage Centre Paris,
global emissions. The response of the Responsibility rests with each and every
October 12 2021
G20 will quite simply be make, or break, for country and we must all play our part. On
keeping 1.5 within reach. climate, the world will succeed, or fail, as
one; we are almost at the end of the road.

" We have no choice but to deliver. "

Each country must step-up.

RESPOND 3