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This year, half of the world’s population is electing new governments, therefore putting the most vulnerable at the center of the conversation has never been more critical. Chaired by Bernice Lee, Research Director, Futures; Hoffmann Distinguished Fellow for Sustainability; Chair, Sustainability Accelerator Advisory Board, and hosted by the Ban Ki-moon Centre for Global Citizens (BKMC) and The Elders, the event at Chatham House underscored the United Kingdom’s (UK) leadership potential as a key solution to delivering an ambitious outcome for COP29, particularly in the context of the new collective quantified goal (NCQG).
“We need initiatives to help that and governments that are prepared to take a stand and put this forward before Azerbaijan (…) the UK could play a role in convening around the new collective quantified goal.” – Mary Robinson
“It is the African people and continent who feel the impact of the climate crisis the most. That is why we must provide the necessary funding and support to developing countries, particularly smallholder farmers.” - Ban Ki-moon
Ban Ki-moon and Mary Robinson’s call for increased adaptation finance and strong UK leadership on climate action is a wake-up call for all nations to come together and address this global challenge. In November 2023, the United Nations Environmental Program released “The Adaptation Gap Report”, revealing that the world needs to pump up to 18 times the current amount of adaptation finance. As the number of developed countries cutting their foreign budgets is increasing, the world is looking at the UK to take a central role, as it had done during its COP26 Presidency to inspire other world leaders to keep their climate promises.
Following the event at Chatham House, Ban Ki-moon and Mary Robinson held meetings with senior UK politicians including Sir Alok Sharma MP, President of COP26, and David Lammy MP, Shadow Foreign Secretary, to appeal for greater ambition to drive forward the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Climate Agreement. Collaborating with the German Ministry of Food & Agriculture since March 2023, the BKMC is showcasing the crucial role of including youth perspectives on the future of agriculture by connecting the BKMC’s Youth AgriChampions with the Ministry’s engagement efforts on the African continent.
The BKMC, co-chaired by the 8th Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, stands ready to support the UK government on transformative financing to build the resilience of smallholder farmers in Africa to the impacts of climate change.
Watch the recording of the Chatham House conversation here: https://youtube.com/live/g0Cfz6GHF6I
About Ban Ki-moon Centre for Global Citizens
The Ban Ki-moon Centre for Global Citizens’ mission is to foster leadership for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Climate Agreement by inspiring current decision makers and empowering the next generation of leaders - change makers. Working with governments, civil society, academia, and international organizations the BKMC reaches more than 900.000 people around the world. Located in Vienna, Austria, the BKMC is co-chaired by the 8th Secretary-General of the UN, Ban Ki-moon and the 11th President of the Republic of Austria, Heinz Fischer.
About the Elders
The Elders was founded by Nelson Mandela in 2007. It is an independent group of global leaders working for peace, justice, human rights and a sustainable planet. It is chaired by Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. Ban Ki-moon is one of the Deputy Chairs of The Elders together with Graça Machel, former freedom fighter and Education Minister of Mozambique.
Katharina Choe
Ban Ki-moon Centre for Global Citizens
[email protected]
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