UN chief announces 'no nonsense' climate action summit for September 2023

With the world’s 1.5C climate target “gasping for breath”, UN secretary general António Guterres says he will convene a Climate Ambition Summit in September 2023.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres speaks at the end of year press conference at the UN headquarters in New York on December 19, 2022. AFP - ED JONES

The “no-nonsense”, “no exceptions” and “no compromises” event, Guterres said, would challenge world leaders to come up with “new, tangible and credible climate action to accelerate the pace of change” and confront the “existential threat” of the climate crisis.

Warning that countries’ climate plans were falling “woefully short”, Guterres is urging governments, businesses, cities and civil society to step up their efforts and avoiding backsliding on promises.

“The invitation (to the summit) is open – but there is a price of entry, and the price of entry is non-negotiable,” Guterres told his year-end press conference on Monday. 

“Credible, serious and new climate action and nature-based solutions that will move the needle forward and respond to the urgency of the climate crisis must be presented.”

There would be no room for repackaging the pledges of previous years, backsliding on promises, greenwashing or blame-shifting, Guterres added.

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