Business Leaders Join Other Global Decision-Makers in Abu Dhabi to Ramp up Climate Ambitions

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates, July 1, 2019 /3BL Media/ — Over 1,700 people from over 160 countries — representing Government, business, civil society and youth — convened at the Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi from 30 June to 1 July for a milestone moment in the lead-up to the UN Secretary-General’s Climate Action Summit on 23 September. The UN Global Compact, together with partners, convened a roundtable discussion with business leaders on a just transition to a net-zero future in line with 1.5°C scenarios.

Organized in collaboration with the United Arab Emirates, through the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, the Abu Dhabi Climate Meeting took stock of progress thus far, with a view towards evaluating and strengthening the initiatives, commitments and achievements that will be announced at the Summit. As all stakeholders look to boost ambition and rapidly accelerate action to implement the Paris Agreement, the meeting was also an opportunity to discuss key political barriers and opportunities for global climate action.

“More and more Governments, cities and businesses are beginning to understand that climate solutions can protect our environment while strengthening our economies and enhancing our common security,” said UN Secretary-General António Guterres at the opening of the meeting. “What we need is a rapid and deep change in how we do business […] and that can only be achieved if we all pull together — Governments, businesses and civil society.”

In Abu Dhabi, the UN Global Compact together with We Mean Business, The B Team and the International Chamber of Commerce organized a private sector dialogue to give business the opportunity to provide feedback on the Summit planning process thus far. The session was chaired by Bob Orr, Special Adviser on Climate Change to the UN Secretary-General, and featured a discussion between more than 30 business leaders and representatives of major global business organizations. 

Outcomes included taking stock of private sector actions and innovations to help decarbonize the real economy until mid-century and corporate engagement in the UN Climate Action Summit preparations. The meeting also shared key updates on business plans, including the two new private sector pledges of the Summit: the recently launched Business Ambition for 1.5°C: Our Only Future and Business Leadership for a Just Transition.

Earlier this month, the UN Global Compact, together with a broad coalition of business, civil society and UN leaders, launched the “Business Ambition for 1.5°C: Our Only Future” campaign calling on companies to set even more ambitious targets in line with limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. The call-to-action takes the form of an open letter addressed to business leaders and signed by Lise Kingo, CEO & Executive Director of the UN Global Compact, and more than 25 leaders including Her Excellency María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés, President of the UN General Assembly, Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, Jayathma Wickramanayake, the UN Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth and SDG Advocate Paul Polman, former CEO of Unilever.

To ensure that the world can limit global warming to 1.5°C and avoid the worst impacts of climate change for the global population, leaders from Governments, business and other stakeholder groups are being challenged to come together to present initiatives at the UN Climate Action Summit to cut emissions and strengthen adaptation.

Ambitious business leaders who commit their companies to a 1.5°C-aligned target will be recognized at the Private Sector Forum convened by the UN Global Compact in New York on 23 September as part of the Summit.

To learn more about the Climate Action Summit, visit: un.org/en/climatechange

To take action, visit: unglobalcompact.org/OurOnlyFuture

About the United Nations Global Compact

As a special initiative of the UN Secretary-General, the United Nations Global Compact works with companies everywhere to align their operations and strategies with ten universal principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption. Launched in 2000, the UN Global Compact guides and supports the global business community in advancing UN goals and values through responsible corporate practices. With more than 9,500 companies and 3,000 non-business signatories based in over 160 countries, and 70 Local Networks, it is the largest corporate sustainability initiative in the world.

For more information, follow @globalcompact on social media and visit our website at unglobalcompact.org.