New york: Leaders from over 100 countries have announced or reiterated ambitious national climate action plans during a significant meeting held as part of the high-level week of the UN General Assembly. The summit was convened by Secretary-General Ant³nio Guterres, alongside Brazilian President Luiz In¡cio Lula Da Silva, the host of the upcoming COP30 conference in Bel©m.
According to Emirates News Agency, Secretary-General Guterres emphasized the urgent need for new plans for 2035, aiming for dramatic emissions cuts aligned with the 1.5-degree Celsius target. He outlined five key areas for action: clean energy transition, methane emissions reduction, forest conservation, emissions cuts in heavy industry, and climate justice for developing nations.
Leading climate scientists Johan Rockstr¶m and Katharine Hayhoe provided a critical assessment of the global efforts to meet the Paris Agreement's goals, emphasizing the possibility of achieving the 1.5-degree target through solutions such as transitioning to clean energy and transforming food systems.
Under the Paris Agreement, countries are required to submit Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) outlining bold climate actions. Brazil, for instance, has committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 59 to 67 percent across all sectors by 2030, while also working to end deforestation.
Chinese President Xi Jinping announced plans to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions by 7 to 10 percent by 2035, increase the share of non-fossil fuels, expand wind and solar power, and promote new energy vehicles.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen highlighted the European Union's progress, with emissions reduced by nearly 40 percent since 1990 and a commitment to global climate finance and partnerships, mobilizing up to 300 billion Euros for a global clean energy transition.
Belize's Prime Minister Johnny Brice±o shared the country's new NDC, which includes expanding renewable electricity to cover 80 percent of domestic needs by 2035, restoring degraded forests, and planting a million trees over three years.
