2021 will be a pivotal moment for climate and our planet
MEETING OF THE GROUP OF FRIENDS ON CLIMATE CHANGE
STATEMENT BY MR NICOLAS DE RIVIÈRE,
PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF FRANCE TO THE UNITED NATIONS
New York, 4 December 2020
Dear colleagues and dear friends,
Thank you all for joining this meeting of the Group of Friends of Climate. I would like to thank my colleague from Morocco, Ambassador Hilale, who co-chairs this group with me.
On behalf of all of us, I also would like to warmly thank Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary of UNFCCC, for being with us today. For four years now, Patricia has been leading the UN Climate Change Convention, and we would like to express our full appreciation for your amazing work.
As you know, next Saturday will be a special day. On December 12th, we will commemorate the fifth anniversary of the Paris Agreement.
On this occasion, a climate ambition summit will gather leaders from governments, business and civil society. This summit will be a key step towards an historical COP26 in Glasgow next year.
Indisputably, 2021 will be a pivotal moment for climate and our planet.
As we enter a new decade of action, these very important deadlines will have to deliver concrete and transformative solutions. As we all know, current commitments do not put us on track to achieve the goals we set five years ago.
In this respect, today’s discussion will identify and explore new ways to move faster in the right direction.
With no further ado, I would like to give the floor to Executive Secretary of UNFCCC Patricia Espinosa.
Thank you Omar, thank you all for your contributions, thank you very much Patricia [Espinosa] for your remarks and presentation.
I believe now we have a very clear picture of what lies ahead of us.
2021 will be is a pivotal year for this issue for the international community. Covid-19 is turning the world upside down but this is an additional reason to remain focus on this climate change priority.
I just want to say hi to Barbara [Woodward, Permanent Representative of the UK to the UN] and tell her that this Group will remain available on a regular basis to contribute to the success of COP26 in Glasgow because it will be our success. We need this success in a year from now, so we need to keep ambitious targets
And France of course will remain more than ever committed to the implementation of the Paris agreement, and, if possible, go beyond the agreement.
Thank you all.